# strict

> English word · Adjective · IPA /stɹɪkt/ · frequency rank #4,898

## Definitions
1. Strained; drawn close; tight.
2. Tense; not relaxed.
3. Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular.
4. Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.
5. Rigidly interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted.
6. Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
7. Severe in discipline.
8. Irreflexive; if the described object is defined to be reflexive, that condition is overridden and replaced with irreflexive.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain. Related to strong.

## Easily confused with
- **strip** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strip)
- **strut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strut)
- **strike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strike)
- **struck** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-struck)
- **string** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-string)
- **strips** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strips)
- **strive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strive)
- **stripe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-stripe)
- **stride** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-stride)
- **strife** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strife)
- **strictly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-strictly)
- **stricter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strict-vs-stricter)
- **stick** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stick-vs-strict)
- **stint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stint-vs-strict)
- **stoic** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/stoic-vs-strict)
- **strat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strat-vs-strict)
- **street** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/street-vs-strict)
- **script** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/script-vs-strict)
- **sprint** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sprint-vs-strict)
- **strait** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/strait-vs-strict)

## Common misspellings (10)
`srtict`, `sstrict`, `stirct`, `strcit`, `stricct`, `strictt`, `stritc`, `strrict`, `sttrict`, `tsrict`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/strict