as in religions
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
Relevance
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 cults
Perhaps a book that couched Castaneda’s story more deeply in the context of the ’70s counterculture and the nature of cults past and present would make his story clearer.
—
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s obviously why the book is structured around six cults.
—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Aliens on the loose, serial killer investigations, family conspiracies, abusive cults, and robots gone rogue are just a few scenarios guaranteed to grab your attention and spike your blood pressure…and they all can be found on the list below.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
The Oscar nominee, 52, stars in the new Tribeca Film Festival premiere The Leader as Bonnie Lu Nettles, a founder of Heaven's Gate, one of the most notorious cults in American history.
—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
As with virtually all modern cults, followers of von Mierers were required to give him money.
—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
As with most cults, things eventually turned dark in Eternal Values.
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
1 June 2026
People leave cults, but the cults do not always leave them.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
As with many cults, the multi-layered aspects of Eternal Values can be dizzying to track.
—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Los Angeles Times,
23 June 2026
That’s obviously why the book is structured around six cults.
—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
17 June 2026
Aliens on the loose, serial killer investigations, family conspiracies, abusive cults, and robots gone rogue are just a few scenarios guaranteed to grab your attention and spike your blood pressure…and they all can be found on the list below.
—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
The Oscar nominee, 52, stars in the new Tribeca Film Festival premiere The Leader as Bonnie Lu Nettles, a founder of Heaven's Gate, one of the most notorious cults in American history.
—
Nigel Smith,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
As with virtually all modern cults, followers of von Mierers were required to give him money.
—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
3 June 2026
As with most cults, things eventually turned dark in Eternal Values.
—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
1 June 2026
People leave cults, but the cults do not always leave them.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
As with many cults, the multi-layered aspects of Eternal Values can be dizzying to track.
—
R. Daniel Foster,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cults
religions
Noun
-
Zoroastrianism’s core tenets – a single God, the cosmic struggle between good and evil – are widely believed by historians to have formed the theological groundwork for the major Abrahamic religions.
-
Solstices are often associated with pagan religions and draw revelers of different faiths.
Cite this Entry
“Cults.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cults. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
