as in aristocratic
being or characteristic of a person who has an offensive air of superiority and tends to ignore or disdain anyone regarded as inferior
the complacent, elitist attitude of the members at that suburban country club
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in snob
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of elitist
Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Those are more elitist bakeries.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2025
European soccer elitists turn up their noses at the Europa League because of its second-rate status.
—Alex Tabet, NBC news, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elitist
Adjective
This mismatch between perception and reality has real consequences, fueling the notion that higher education as a whole is elitist and out of touch, hiding the work of the colleges that educate millions of working- and middle-class families.
—Yolanda Watson Spiva, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2025
Those are more elitist bakeries.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
He’s known for brash takes on politics and appears to relish taking down moralists and elitists.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2025
European soccer elitists turn up their noses at the Europa League because of its second-rate status.
—Alex Tabet, NBC news, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for elitist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elitist
Adjective
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Playing an aristocratic roaring 20s era sleuth that Christie loosely based on her younger self is certainly far removed from chugging shots on the shores of Malia — even the party scenes.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
15 Jan. 2026
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The 18th-century aristocratic villa also offers scenic horse rides through the foothills of Mount Etna.—
Rosalyn Wikeley,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Since the show’s premiere in March 2024, Burnett’s Norma has been set up as a money- and status-hungry snob, willing to do just about anything to have others do her bidding and maintain her opulent lifestyle amongst the highest of high society.—
Rosemary Rossi,
Variety,
9 Jan. 2026
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Among coffee snobs—call them MAMICs La Marzocco is deservedly famous for its technical finesse, producing superb shots time and again.—
Mark Ellwood,
Robb Report,
9 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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A lot of people who are that level of arrogant, there’s also an immense insecurity, right?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The boy is arrogant, Helen thinks.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Set in 1969 Palm Beach, the Apple TV series follows Kristen Wiig’s Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons, a spry social climber eager to infiltrate high society.—
Savannah Walsh,
Vanity Fair,
7 Jan. 2026
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In classic Brooksian fashion, this simple succession plan becomes complicated by a potential scandal involving her social climber husband (Jack Lowden), the sudden return of her womanizing father (Woody Harrelson), and, well, Ella McCay’s own stubbornly idealistic personality.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
10 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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These page-turning stories will put characters like Pride and Prejudice’s snobbish Caroline Bingley to the modern descendant of Sense and Sensibility’s Eliza Williams at center stage in elevated fan fiction for Janeites.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
16 Dec. 2025
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In fact, Claire’s neighbor Jeanne Wang-Wasserman, played with subtle snobbish disdain by veteran actress Joan Chen, fuels her ire almost as much as her family’s benign neglect.—
Rodney Ho,
Boston Herald,
14 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elitist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elitist. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
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