sophisticate

1 of 2

verb

so·​phis·​ti·​cate sə-ˈfi-stə-ˌkāt 

sophisticated; sophisticating

transitive verb

1

: to alter deceptively

especially : adulterate

2

: to deprive of genuineness, naturalness, or simplicity

especially : to deprive of naïveté and make worldly-wise : disillusion

3

: to make complicated or complex

sophisticate

2 of 2

noun

so·​phis·​ti·​cate sə-ˈfi-sti-kət  -stə-ˌkāt 

: a sophisticated person

Synonyms

Verb

• complex
• complexify
• complicate
• embarrass
• entangle
• perplex

Noun

• city slicker
• cosmopolitan
• cosmopolite
• metropolitan
• slicker

Examples of sophisticate in a Sentence

Verb

there's no need to sophisticate something that is beautiful in its simplicity

vanilla extract that has been sophisticated with corn syrup

Noun

sophisticates laughing at people they thought of as hicks

Recent Examples on the Web

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

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Medieval Latin sophisticatus, past participle of sophisticare, from Latin sophisticus sophistic, from Greek sophistikos, from sophistēs sophist

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1923, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sophisticate

1 of 2 verb

so·​phis·​ti·​cate sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt 

sophisticated; sophisticating

: to cause to become sophisticated

sophistication

-ˌfis-tə-ˈkā-shən

noun

sophisticate

2 of 2 noun

so·​phis·​ti·​cate sə-ˈfis-ti-kət 

-tə-ˌkāt

: a sophisticated person

Medical Definition

sophisticate

transitive verb

so·​phis·​ti·​cate sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt 

sophisticated; sophisticating

: to make impure : adulterate

a sophisticated oil