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
James Powel, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
Those are welcome at the box office, but would face a steep climb with the film Academy’s growing crowd of international sophisticates.
—Michael Cieply, Deadline, 1 July 2024
Rumaan Alam, New York Times, 21 May 2024
But there are no chips or computerized warning systems sophisticated enough to predict Taiwan’s biggest threat: a deepening political and economic rivalry between the United States and China that threatens to enfold the entire world.
—Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Noun
Want to make your witch a mid-century modern sophisticate?
—James Powel, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
Those are welcome at the box office, but would face a steep climb with the film Academy’s growing crowd of international sophisticates.
—Michael Cieply, Deadline, 1 July 2024
Verb
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
But there are no chips or computerized warning systems sophisticated enough to predict Taiwan’s biggest threat: a deepening political and economic rivalry between the United States and China that threatens to enfold the entire world.
—Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophisticate
Noun
-
The season’s final scene was with Seema (Choudhury) and Carrie drinking cosmopolitans on the beach in Greece.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
-
Billionaire cosmopolitans who want to hire immigrants don’t mix easily with vehemently nativist populists who want to ratchet up taxes on said billionaires.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The plain and active meaning of the word cannot be diluted by its constriction, as the government would have it, to a narrow term of art.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
18 Apr. 2025
-
This approach dilutes your unique value proposition and distracts from your primary purpose.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Meanwhile, the picture for other automakers is complicated, to say the least.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
25 Apr. 2025
-
But her situation is also complicated by her feelings for Gibbs.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Place them in a shoe bag or wrap them in a plastic bag to keep them from dirtying other items.—
Will Porter,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Feb. 2025
-
For example, a small non-shedding dog that rarely goes outside won't dirty a bed nearly as fast as a large labarador that plays outside daily.—
Halee Miller Van Ryswyk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
In the second inning, the A’s added another run when shortstop Jacob Wilson walked with the bases loaded.—
Mathew Miranda,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
Larnach hit a go-ahead home run in the sixth inning and Byron Buxton later homered as the Twins topped the Chicago White Sox 6-3 at Target Field. Larnach also singled in a run in the fourth inning for the Twins, who only scored once despite loading the bases in each of the first three innings.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Scores of sea lions and dolphins have been fatally poisoned in recent months by domoic acid, a neurotoxin produced by harmful algal blooms.—
Corinne Purtill,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Morgan was previously married to Keith Whitley from 1986 to his alcohol poisoning death in 1989 at age 34.—
Rachel DeSantis,
People.com,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
This radiation thins Earth’s ozone layer and lets in more ultra violet (UV) and the interaction of these particles with the Earth’s magnetic field also results in aurora.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
16 Apr. 2025
-
But the crowds have thinned out since the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration.—
Jessica Garrison,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
With the new order, Trump is threatening to cut federal funds to cities and states his Administration decides are blocking his mass deportation effort.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
29 Apr. 2025
-
The state says the rule is crucial to meeting greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and cutting smog-forming pollutants.—
David Shepardson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophisticate. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share