as in mercenary
having or marked by interest in material possessions as opposed to intellectual or spiritual things
His essay criticises the materialistic culture of today's world.
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Recent Examples of materialistic
Far too many became trapped in a materialistic outlook where success was based on acquiring wealth.
—
Jane Goodall, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025
That newness may show itself as an increasingly brighter outlook; a sense of having a higher, more spiritual selfhood; and a growing realization that the old way of thinking of ourselves as materialistic mortals is not merely superficial or a thing of the past, but has never actually been accurate.
—Russ Gerber, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2025
Some of these people spend a lot of money and live incredibly materialistic lives.
—Morgan Housel, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for materialistic
Jane Goodall, Time, 12 Nov. 2025
Which is to say, this isn’t the story of a greedy, materialistic man who suffers a crisis of conscience while trying to pry a priceless treasure away from an uneducated hick who doesn’t know any better.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 29 Oct. 2025
That newness may show itself as an increasingly brighter outlook; a sense of having a higher, more spiritual selfhood; and a growing realization that the old way of thinking of ourselves as materialistic mortals is not merely superficial or a thing of the past, but has never actually been accurate.
—Russ Gerber, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Oct. 2025
Some of these people spend a lot of money and live incredibly materialistic lives.
—Morgan Housel, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for materialistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for materialistic
Adjective
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She isn’t burdened by the need to shed a darker, more mercenary child-star past.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2026
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No investment, then mercenary mode kicks in for many pros.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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However, the defense argued that the blood spatter evidence at the scene matched an accidental fall and that Kathleen's scalp lacerations were only superficial and didn't cause her death.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
24 Apr. 2026
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More often those concert performances help pump up a flashy, superficial look at an enigmatic artist whose closest connections were of the animal variety (Bubbles gets screen time; ditto a giraffe, a llama and a big snake).—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cross, 62, portrayed Ian Hawke — a selfish and greedy music executive and the main antagonist — in the first three live-action Alvin and the Chipmunks films (2007, 2009, 2011).—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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The first time, Julian’s children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning) seemed like miserable, greedy wretches.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Materialistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/materialistic. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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