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
Relevance
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
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 sophisticate
Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2024
Want to make your witch a mid-century modern sophisticate?
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Poverty and purpose are more intractable problems, but fate brings Gordon into the circle of the West Village sophisticates Philip and Nicola.
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Noun
With its striking clear glass decanter, Plata makes a perfect gift for novices, sophisticates, and home bartenders.
—Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 25 Nov. 2024
Want to make your witch a mid-century modern sophisticate?
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
Verb
The Gig Won’t Last And Questions Will Be Asked
The danger for the AI maker comes to the fore when software sophisticates start to question the delays.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Poverty and purpose are more intractable problems, but fate brings Gordon into the circle of the West Village sophisticates Philip and Nicola.
—Rumaan Alam, New York Times, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophisticate
Noun
-
Is whiskey a man’s spirit, while women are only allowed to sip cosmopolitans?—
Jessi Roti,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
19 May 2025
-
The season’s final scene was with Seema (Choudhury) and Carrie drinking cosmopolitans on the beach in Greece.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Consider, for instance, the incentives for homeowners to make significant investments in rooftop solar only to have the rules of the game changed so as to dilute the original benefits.—
Harvey Levine,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2025
-
By issuing bonds, which were approved at a June 3 school-board meeting, the nation’s second-largest school system stretches out repayments over 15 years, diluting the toll on its annual budget — and on services and programs.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2025
Verb
-
The budget bill championed by President Donald Trump could complicate next year’s tax filing season after the IRS lost one-quarter of its employees through staffing cuts, an independent watchdog reported Wednesday.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
25 June 2025
-
Adding another first rounder this summer would have complicated both the team’s rotation and salary structure.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Verb
-
And for nights when you can't be bothered to dirty a million dishes just to get dinner on the table, there's an air fryer from Ninja.—
Sarah Felbin,
SELF,
23 May 2025
-
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
Verb
-
During the summer of 2024, Iran exported fewer than 70,000 barrels per day through that alternate route and stopped loading cargoes after September 2024, according to the EIA.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
23 June 2025
-
That's why this bill is loaded up with priorities of GOP lawmakers and the Trump administration.—
Allison Pecorin,
ABC News,
23 June 2025
Verb
-
Still, no amount of artistic success could heal the rift that had poisoned the group.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
21 June 2025
-
In some cities, stray dogs are poisoned with strychnine, a pesticide banned in many countries for causing inhumane suffering.—
Lisa Klaassen,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
Verb
-
Scott would manage to save par but Burns would not, dropping a stroke as his lead thinned.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
15 June 2025
-
At a popular taco spot on 4th Ave., a waitress told the Daily News that their dine-in customers have thinned out in the past month.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2025
Verb
-
The prospect of trying to cut open a stubborn 5-4-1 block in the Orlando heat could have become torturous quite quickly.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
-
Second, deploy generative AI to automate core workflows, cut headcount, and expand EBITDA margins to 40% or more.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophisticate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share