as in cosmopolitan
a person with the outlook, experience, and manners thought to be typical of big city dwellers
sophisticates laughing at people they thought of as hicks
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to complex
to make complex or difficult
there's no need to sophisticate something that is beautiful in its simplicity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to dilute
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
vanilla extract that has been sophisticated with corn syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sophisticate
The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
For Foster’s second win, she was remade as a bona fide A-lister: a sleek Hollywood sophisticate with nothing to prove.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
Logistically accelerating techno-economic interactivity crumbles social order in auto-sophisticating machine runaway.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Noun
Few things jar the delicate pretensions of the cocktail sophisticate so much as a drink with a chicken on top.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
For Foster’s second win, she was remade as a bona fide A-lister: a sleek Hollywood sophisticate with nothing to prove.
—Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
The Aritzia Generation Crepette Blazer is effortlessly sophisticated, with an oversized yet slim silhouette that can be dressed up or down.
—Genevieve Cepeda, InStyle, 4 Mar. 2026
Logistically accelerating techno-economic interactivity crumbles social order in auto-sophisticating machine runaway.
—James Duesterberg, New Yorker, 18 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophisticate
Noun
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There's a matinee for students and daytime explorers and a Saturday night outing for date-night cosmopolitans.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
In that series, Michelle Pfeiffer’s cosmopolitan Stacy Clyburn learns to embrace the American West after a tragedy forces her to leave New York City for the Madison River Valley in central Montana.—
Jessica Radloff,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The sheer amount of water that fell from the sky during the Kona low storms — about 2 trillion gallons statewide — would have significantly diluted the chemicals everywhere.—
Thomas Heaton,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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But in such arrangements, junior staff can get overlooked, employees can feel directionless, and managers can burn out—or, as Dimon points out, accountability for getting things done can be diluted.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Middle East conflict has complicated the Fed's rate-setting approach, as the central bank weighs the lasting price impact of the energy shock.—
Sarah Min,Sean Conlon,Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
10 Apr. 2026
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The science fiction New Wave of the 60s and 70s complicated Gernsback’s notion about the proper relationship between science and literature and in the process produced something new and valuable.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Domínguez struck out Cedric Mullins, but the Rays then loaded the bases with a single, a walk and a batter getting hit by a pitch.—
LaMond Pope,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Jakob Junis was charged with three runs in 1 1/3 innings after Jacob Latz entered with the bases loaded and gave up Kurtz's double.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Protesters, however, say that HERC, which neighbors Target Field near the North Loop neighborhood, is responsible for essentially poisoning people who live nearby.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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But he was hauled back into court in August 2024 to answer to new allegations that also attempted to poison his daughter, who was then 10, using the same method.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the courtroom, Alfortish’s face looked gaunt after spending roughly a year in prison, and his hair, thinning now, had gone white.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Add a bit of stock or water to thin it out if needed.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Minnesota led by 10 with about four minutes left before Houston used an 8-2 run, with four points from Alperen Sengun, to cut the lead to 132-128 with about a minute to go.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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It is equipped with fold-out platforms, a large glass-bottom pool, and a lounge with a DJ booth, meaning seafarers can play with water toys by day and cut shapes by night.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophisticate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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