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so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfi-stə-ˌkāt 
sophisticated; sophisticating
2
: to deprive of genuineness, naturalness, or simplicity
especially
: to deprive of naïveté and make worldly-wise : disillusion
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfi-sti-kət
-stə-ˌkāt
: a sophisticated person
Synonyms
Example Sentences
Verb
there's no need to sophisticate something that is beautiful in its simplicity
vanilla extract that has been sophisticated with corn syrup
Noun
sophisticates laughing at people they thought of as hicks
Recent Examples on the Web
David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022
Nor was Ashley the only Bridgerton sophisticate gracing the Met Gala red carpet.
—Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 3 May 2022
The movie starred Jill Clayburgh as Erica Benton, an Upper West Side sophisticate whose comfortable life unravels when her husband moves out during a midlife crisis.
—Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Apr. 2022
As for the clothes, the look is a touch ’80s sophisticate through the Chanel lens.
—Alison S. Cohn, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 Jan. 2022
In these books, French women are boiled down to one reductive stereotype: the thin, white, rich Parisian sophisticate in a striped shirt, trench coat and Hermès scarf.
—Rory Satran, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2021
Intensive care units have sophisticated equipment, such as bedside machines to monitor a patient’s heart rate and ventilators to help them breathe.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2020
Both sides, after all, rely on these tools, and there is an argument to be made that Democrats need them in order to close the gap with Mr. Trump’s sophisticated digital operation.
—Kevin Roose, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2020
The technology from [blockchain analytics] firms such as Elliptic and Chainanalysis is sophisticated as well.
—Matthew De Silva, Quartz, 5 Dec. 2019
Cindy Hirschfeld, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2023
Whether your style is timeless sophisticate or the latest TikTok-core, there’s a great pair of knee-high boots for you.
—Nicola Fumo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2022
Those who know Lee only as his Gi-hun character would barely recognize the dapper sophisticate sitting with excellent posture in a small greenroom.
—Michael Ordoñastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022
There is Maurice the sophisticate—a collector of vintage timepieces and museum-quality ancient Chinese ceramics, a lover of fine perfumes—but also a Maurice who was goofy and sweet, sometimes even childlike.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
When the sophisticate’s string of pearls is mysteriously stolen en route, the mood goes from civilized sitting to human bondage in a matter of seconds.
—Joe Hsieh, The New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2022
The vibe is decidedly ‘urban-sophisticate’ at its most polished.
—Angelina Villa-clarke, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2022
And back at the Eye of the World, Rand matches wits with the Dark One, who abandons his fire-eyed guise and takes the form of a handsome sophisticate, played by actor Fares Fares.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2021
Gomez was every inch the sophisticate during her appearance, pairing a black skirt and black cardigan with bright red lips.
—Elizabeth Loga, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2021
See More
Verb
Dawson plays the breezy sophisticate more convincingly than the lovelorn man inside.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Sep. 2022
Nor was Ashley the only Bridgerton sophisticate gracing the Met Gala red carpet.
—Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 3 May 2022
The movie starred Jill Clayburgh as Erica Benton, an Upper West Side sophisticate whose comfortable life unravels when her husband moves out during a midlife crisis.
—Kara Baskin, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Apr. 2022
As for the clothes, the look is a touch ’80s sophisticate through the Chanel lens.
—Alison S. Cohn, Harper's BAZAAR, 10 Jan. 2022
In these books, French women are boiled down to one reductive stereotype: the thin, white, rich Parisian sophisticate in a striped shirt, trench coat and Hermès scarf.
—Rory Satran, WSJ, 27 Nov. 2021
Intensive care units have sophisticated equipment, such as bedside machines to monitor a patient’s heart rate and ventilators to help them breathe.
—USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2020
Both sides, after all, rely on these tools, and there is an argument to be made that Democrats need them in order to close the gap with Mr. Trump’s sophisticated digital operation.
—Kevin Roose, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2020
The technology from [blockchain analytics] firms such as Elliptic and Chainanalysis is sophisticated as well.
—Matthew De Silva, Quartz, 5 Dec. 2019
Noun
The buzzy vibe at Primrose, a recent addition, skews more urban sophisticate than traditional ski town, with top-notch service to match.
—Cindy Hirschfeld, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2023
Whether your style is timeless sophisticate or the latest TikTok-core, there’s a great pair of knee-high boots for you.
—Nicola Fumo, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Oct. 2022
Those who know Lee only as his Gi-hun character would barely recognize the dapper sophisticate sitting with excellent posture in a small greenroom.
—Michael Ordoñastaff Writer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Aug. 2022
There is Maurice the sophisticate—a collector of vintage timepieces and museum-quality ancient Chinese ceramics, a lover of fine perfumes—but also a Maurice who was goofy and sweet, sometimes even childlike.
—Chris Wiley, The New Yorker, 4 May 2022
When the sophisticate’s string of pearls is mysteriously stolen en route, the mood goes from civilized sitting to human bondage in a matter of seconds.
—Joe Hsieh, The New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2022
The vibe is decidedly ‘urban-sophisticate’ at its most polished.
—Angelina Villa-clarke, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2022
And back at the Eye of the World, Rand matches wits with the Dark One, who abandons his fire-eyed guise and takes the form of a handsome sophisticate, played by actor Fares Fares.
—Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2021
Gomez was every inch the sophisticate during her appearance, pairing a black skirt and black cardigan with bright red lips.
—Elizabeth Loga, Glamour, 8 Sep. 2021
See More
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sophisticate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, from Medieval Latin sophisticatus, past participle of sophisticare, from Latin sophisticus sophistic, from Greek sophistikos, from sophistēs sophist
First Known Use
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
1923, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of sophisticate was
in the 15th century
Dictionary Entries Near sophisticate
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sophisticate. Accessed 6 Feb. 2023.
Kids Definition
sophisticate
1 of 2 verb
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt
sophisticated; sophisticating
: to cause to become sophisticated
sophistication
noun
-ˌfis-tə-ˈkā-shən
sophisticate
2 of 2 noun
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfis-ti-kət
-tə-ˌkāt
: a sophisticated person
Medical Definition
sophisticate
transitive verb
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt
sophisticated; sophisticating
: to make impure : adulterate
More from Merriam-Webster on sophisticate
Britannica English: Translation of sophisticate for Arabic Speakers
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