Faustian
adjective
Faust·ian
ˈfau̇-stē-ən 
ˈfȯ-
ˈfȯ-
: of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting Faust
especially
: made or done for present gain without regard for future cost or consequences
a Faustian bargain
Examples of Faustian in a Sentence
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Beginning with his election in 2016, anti-liberal intellectuals made a Faustian bet that this coarse real-estate developer and reality-TV star would be the vehicle for realizing the Good, the Beautiful, and the True.
—
George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
The Casaubon of the novel was cruel, despotic, and maddened by hubris, in the Faustian sense of having sold his soul for power and knowledge.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2025
This 900-page Faustian pact between six young students and an eldritch dragon combines high fantasy, blockbuster action, espionage, politics, and a persistent voltage of romance.
—Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
The movie, which premiered in the midnights section of the Toronto International Film Festival, follows a hopeless romantic who makes a Faustian bargain to win his crush’s heart.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
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George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025
The Casaubon of the novel was cruel, despotic, and maddened by hubris, in the Faustian sense of having sold his soul for power and knowledge.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2025
This 900-page Faustian pact between six young students and an eldritch dragon combines high fantasy, blockbuster action, espionage, politics, and a persistent voltage of romance.
—Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025
The movie, which premiered in the midnights section of the Toronto International Film Festival, follows a hopeless romantic who makes a Faustian bargain to win his crush’s heart.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for Faustian
Cite this Entry
“Faustian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Faustian. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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