as in cosmopolitans
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 complexes
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 dilutes
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances
vanilla extract that has been sophisticated with corn syrup
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sophisticates
Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2026
Despite parents’ efforts, allowances aren’t necessarily minting a new generation of financial sophisticates.
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2025
Noun
Heartland churchgoers, urban sophisticates, football neophytes—everyone got swept up in his will to win.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2026
Despite parents’ efforts, allowances aren’t necessarily minting a new generation of financial sophisticates.
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophisticates
Noun
-
If top-level soccer is now played by something like rootless cosmopolitans, it’s financed by billionaires who are no longer primarily European.—
Ian Buruma,
New Yorker,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Cocktails that would otherwise cost $18 each - such as Margaritas, cosmopolitans, Manhattans, and Old-Fashioneds - are included in this package.—
Debbi Kickham,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
But as the Universe keeps on expanding, the spatial curvature still dilutes, the same way that a small Pringles chip has a greater amount of curvature than a large horse’s saddle.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
27 Mar. 2026
-
No measurable impact on marine life or the local environment was detected, as the radioactive material dilutes rapidly in seawater.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Second, instability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border complicates regional connectivity and economic integration initiatives, including projects linked to broader Central and South Asia.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
-
By probing deeper into outer-borough New York and its agrarian history, White complicates our traditional understanding of slavery as rural and southern, showing how memories of that peculiar institution shape contemporary urban life as well.—
Omari Weekes,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The island, where Iran loads nearly all its oil exports, is seen as a potential target if Washington decides to hit Iranian energy or to use ground troops to seize it.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
-
While trees — oak, birch, maple — dominate early spring, grass pollen often overlaps in late spring from May to June, leading to higher, more intense allergy loads for sufferers.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the unknown in that equation is what perplexes the Mavericks and has the team stuck for now.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
But the core allegation cuts deeper than fees.—
Hanna Wickes,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The vote, on a proposal that requires a driver’s license or comparable ID to cast a ballot in federal elections, represents the latest attempt by Republicans to divide Democrats on a subject that cuts decidedly in their favor.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Their team might need the firmer assessment that challenges pride and even embarrasses, then the next year's group might need a lighter touch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Maia and her boyfriend Dylan (Josh Hustcherson) are on the outs after Maia completely embarrasses herself at Dylan’s game night with his co-workers.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Sensing Scarlet’s resolve to destroy him, Claudius poisons her.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophisticates. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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