Definition of cultnext
1
as in audience
a group of people showing intense devotion to a cause, person, or work (as a film) long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in religion
a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities an ancient cult that centered on the worship of the earth as the source of all life

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cult Gail Daughtry was directed and cowritten by David Wain, a veteran of the comedy troupe The State and also the director of the 2001 cult hit Wet Hot American Summer; Marino, another State and Wet Hot alumnus, is his cowriter. Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 10 July 2026 Letterboxd, the cult favorite social media site for cinephiles, has been shopping itself for months to potential buyers. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 10 July 2026 Despite this, the film was a commercial success, grossing more than $30 million domestically, and has developed a cult following. Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 Sam Raimi directed the first three entries, a trilogy of gnarly cult classics starring Bruce Campbell. Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cult
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cult
Noun
  • Those included a charmingly cluttered Bucket family home, a lush candyland with the smell of chocolate piped through the Royal Theater to complement the full-size mock chocolate river, and a glass elevator that flew above the audience.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • While the choreography was designed for a global TV audience, the underlying technology has broader industrial applications.
    Clemente Lisi, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.
    Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Hinduism is a narrative religion; its mercurial wisdom is lightened and sweetened by stories, softened by ambiguities, sharpened by paradoxes.
    Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cult. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on cult

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster