Faustian

adjective

: of, relating to, resembling, or suggesting Faust
especially : made or done for present gain without regard for future cost or consequences
a Faustian bargain

Examples of Faustian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The Faustian bargain This was a strange game for Vancouver. Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2025 Critics of the state of exception argue that security without justice is a Faustian bargain. Gisela Salim-Peyer, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025 The siblings are trapped in an unsettling codependency, one in which a sister, as if fulfilling a Faustian bargain, funds her brother’s bad habits. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025 But a mischievous demon who lives somewhere in the countryside might hold the key to Piotr being able to obtain the object of his desire, setting the stage for a Faustian bargain with otherworldly consequences. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Faustian

Word History

First Known Use

1876, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Faustian was in 1876

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Cite this Entry

“Faustian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Faustian. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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