as in materialist
a person who is chiefly interested in material comfort and is hostile or indifferent to art and culture
the town's philistines who think that spending on the arts is a waste of taxpayers' money
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in utilitarian
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Dissimilar Words
2
as in materialistic
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
3
as in uncultured
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of philistine
Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
In pre-Revolutionary Russia some critics derided his compositions as bourgeois work aimed at philistine audiences.
—Barrymore Laurence Scherer, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022
There was no reason — other than bankrupt ideology and blinkered philistine pig-ignorance — not to go hog-wild with stimulus, say, $2 trillion for starters.
—Ryan Cooper, The Week, 10 Jan. 2022
Noun
The Childhood of a Leader (titled after a Sartre short story), their style indicated a possible philistine route.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
In pre-Revolutionary Russia some critics derided his compositions as bourgeois work aimed at philistine audiences.
—Barrymore Laurence Scherer, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022
There was no reason — other than bankrupt ideology and blinkered philistine pig-ignorance — not to go hog-wild with stimulus, say, $2 trillion for starters.
—Ryan Cooper, The Week, 10 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for philistine
Adjective
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That unique property results in utilitarian staples such as rucksacks, puffer jackets, and driving sneakers that marry softness with resilience.—
Naomi Rougeau,
Robb Report,
31 Aug. 2025
-
We’re stuck in a moment when passive entertainment rules, when books are viewed by the ruling class as strictly utilitarian.—
Maris Kreizman
August 28,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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British actress Rhea Norwood has been cast as Lydia Bennet, the chaotic and materialistic youngest Bennet daughter (and the favorite of Mrs. Bennet).—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
1 Aug. 2025
-
There’s a growing group of modern-day families choosing to leave the materialistic world behind and become homesteaders—off the land and completely self-sufficient.—
Megan Margulies,
Outside Online,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
In certain circles, identifying with the city is shorthand for being uncultured and self-obsessed, even soulless.—
Ella Berman
August 7,
Literary Hub,
7 Aug. 2025
-
For their part, the Russians considered the Mizrahim—indeed, most Israelis—loud, uncultured boors.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
5 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Who says the eyebrow and the lowbrow don’t mix?—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This isn't a rejection of progress, but a pragmatic stance rooted in experience.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
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Nadeen is equally pragmatic about the theft, which is currently under investigation by Glendale police.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Manipulating these obviously very greedy and avaricious [people] is still kind of beneath his skills.—
Lily Ford,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Aug. 2025
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The comedy-drama follows a Gen Z content creator who returns to her ancestral home seeking viral material, only to encounter her deceased brother’s ghost while dealing with avaricious relatives.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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While the naked manicure trend has been reigning supreme among celebrities, Dua Lipa has forwent the current nail artless aesthetic for something altogether more starry and summer-ready.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
26 May 2025
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First adapted for the screen by Otto Preminger in 1958, the film starred David Niven and Jean Seberg, forever conflating the author in the public imagination with the artless allure — and iconic haircut — of Ms. Seberg.—
Sadie Stein,
New York Times,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Retail e-commerce penetration had surged during the pandemic, which brought a rush of acquisitive capital into the space.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
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Banijay has been among the most acquisitive independent TV makers of recent years, and now reportedly has its sights on ITV.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
27 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Philistine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/philistine. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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