cargo cult

noun

Definition of cargo cult

: any of various Melanesian religious groups characterized by the belief that material wealth (such as money or manufactured goods) can be obtained through ritual worship

Examples of cargo cult in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The attempts to re-use the anti-Soviet playbook have the flavor of a cargo cult. — Steve Larkin, The Week, 22 Mar. 2022 So far, Neom is less a city than an urbanist cargo cult. — Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 3 Mar. 2022

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cargo cult.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.