sophisticated

adjective so·phis·ti·cat·ed \ sə-ˈfi-stə-ˌkā-təd \

|Updated on: 2 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: sophisticated in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of sophisticated

1 : deprived of native or original simplicity: such as

a : highly complicated or developed : complex

sophisticated electronic devices

b : having a refined knowledge of the ways of the world cultivated especially through wide experience

a sophisticated lady

2 : devoid of grossness: such as

a : finely experienced and aware

a sophisticated columnist

b : intellectually appealing

a sophisticated novel

—

sophisticatedly

adverb

See sophisticated defined for English-language learners

See sophisticated defined for kids

Examples of sophisticated in a Sentence

Puck's mix of casual and sophisticated elements has become the most prevalent style of L.A. dining today. —Harvey Steiman, Wine Spectator, 31 Mar. 2009
Sophisticated investors took Moody's and S&P's word for it, and it turned out that the agencies didn't know what they were doing. —Andy Serwer et al., Time, 29 Sept. 2008
"These students want the amenities they grew up with at home—their own rooms, their own baths, along with some of the finer things in life. They're a more sophisticated consumer." —Camille Sweeney, New York Times Real Estate Magazine, Spring 2007
Sonar devices can locate an enemy's sophisticated, almost-silent diesel submarines by, ironically, making a deafening noise—sometimes above 230 decibels, as loud as a Saturn V rocket blasting off. —Dick Russell, Mother Jones, March & April 2006
She was a sophisticated and well-traveled woman.
a swank and sophisticated restaurant
Her knitting technique is more sophisticated than mine.

Recent Examples of sophisticated from the Web

The hacker doesn’t appear to be very sophisticated and wasn’t even targeting the U.S. military.

— hallie detrick, Fortune, "How an Amateur Hacker Stole Top-Secret Drone Documents From the U.S. Air Force," 11 July 2018
Electrics are more sophisticated and thus have more attack surfaces.

— ezra dyer, Popular Mechanics, "How To Stop Your Car From Getting Hacked," 10 July 2018
Here's hoping voters are too sophisticated to fall for it.

— ben joravsky, Chicago Reader, "News / Politics / Race Phony feud: Don’t be fooled by the Twitter barbs between Rahm and Rauner over Dan Ryan protest," 9 July 2018
Stigler and those influenced by his work had very sophisticated ideas about how to audit and slowly take over the agencies by getting them to internalize [their] positions and critiques.

— alexander zaitchik, The New Republic, "How Big Pharma Was Captured by the One Percent," 28 June 2018
The decline is due in large part to increasingly sophisticated techniques in what’s known as union avoidance.

— livia gershon, Longreads, "Nurses, Unite!," 28 June 2018
Scammers are sophisticated and highly motivated to get your money.

— carroll lachnit, edmunds, USA TODAY, "Edmunds: Tips on how to avoid fraud when buying a car online," 22 June 2018
For a sense of just how sophisticated and varied venom is, consider that all 300 of the world’s venomous snake species have been fine-tuning their toxins for millennia.

— kyle dickman, Outside Online, "A Rattle with Death in Yosemite," 20 June 2018
Cyberattacks carried out by nation states such as Russia and North Korea increasingly are sophisticated and brash, said Mr. Stavridis, the current dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

— adam janofsky, WSJ, "Former NATO Commander Envisions New Cyber Branch of Military," 15 June 2018

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

Did You Know?

A sophisticated argument is thorough and well-worked-out. A satellite is a sophisticated piece of technology, complex and designed to accomplish difficult tasks. A sophisticated person, such as Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca, knows how to get around in the world. But sophistication isn't always admired. As you might guess, the word is closely related to sophistry (see above), and its original meanings weren't very positive, and still today many of us aren't sure we really like sophisticates.

Origin and Etymology of sophisticated

Medieval Latin sophisticatus

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1601

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

sophisticated Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of sophisticated

sophisticated, worldly-wise, blasé mean experienced in the ways of the world. sophisticated often implies refinement, urbanity, cleverness, and cultivation.

- guests at her salon were usually rich and sophisticated

worldly-wise suggests a close and practical knowledge of the affairs and manners of society and an inclination toward materialism.

- a worldly-wise woman with a philosophy of personal independence

blasé implies a lack of responsiveness to common joys as a result of a real or affected surfeit of experience and cultivation.

- blasé travelers who claimed to have been everywhere

SOPHISTICATED Defined for English Language Learners

sophisticated

adjective

Definition of sophisticated for English Language Learners

: having or showing a lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, literature, etc.
: attractive to fashionable or sophisticated people
: highly developed and complex