sophistication

noun

so·​phis·​ti·​ca·​tion sə-ˌfi-stə-ˈkā-shən 

1

a

: the use of sophistry : sophistic reasoning

b

: sophism, quibble

2

: the process or result of becoming cultured, knowledgeable, or disillusioned

especially : cultivation, urbanity

3

: the process or result of becoming more complex, developed, or subtle

Synonyms

• complexity
• complexness
• complicacy
• complicatedness
• complication
• elaborateness
• intricacy
• intricateness
• involution
• knottiness

Examples of sophistication in a Sentence

the engine's sophistication requires that all repairs be done by an experienced mechanic

Recent Examples on the Web

YouTube’s decision to suspend the channels from its partner program follows a Deadline investigation that chronicled the scale and sophistication of fake movie trailers. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 12 May 2025

The planet around which the rest of the city orbits, the school boasts some 53,000 students and a vast menu of cultural happenings, lending Ann Arbor a casual sophistication. A2, as it’s known to locals, consistently ranks among the nation’s top college towns. —Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 10 May 2025

Every look reflected his signature aesthetic: bold sophistication grounded in timeless tailoring with a contemporary flair. —Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 9 May 2025

His bravura side is still firmly in place, yet it is buoyed now by a growing sophistication. —Thea Traff, New York Times, 3 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for sophistication

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration

Medical Definition

sophistication

noun

so·​phis·​ti·​ca·​tion sə-ˌfis-tə-ˈkā-shən 

: the process or result of making impure or weak : adulteration

sophistication of a drug