1
as in audience
a group of people showing intense devotion to a cause, person, or work (as a film)
long after it had gone off the air, the TV series continued to have a huge cult
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2
as in religion
a body of beliefs and practices regarding the supernatural and the worship of one or more deities
an ancient cult that centered on the worship of the earth as the source of all life
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Recent Examples of cult
This dismissive attitude would be unnerving in any dramatic character study, but unlike earlier cult classics about angry men in search of belonging, Magazine Dreams comes with a different context.
—
Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
That concept of freedom might be better exemplified by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, another Third World death cult that promised liberation and promoted slaughter — and that came with its own prominent apologists on American college campuses.
—Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
And in this economy, cult brands with strong cultural currencies will win, every time.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The film, written by Quentin Tarantino, has achieved cult status.
7. 'Top Gun' (1986)
IMDb Rating: 6.9
Kilmer's portrayal of Iceman, a rival pilot to Tom Cruise's Maverick, became iconic in this high-flying action drama that defined a generation.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cult
Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 4 Apr. 2025
That concept of freedom might be better exemplified by Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, another Third World death cult that promised liberation and promoted slaughter — and that came with its own prominent apologists on American college campuses.
—Bret Stephens, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
And in this economy, cult brands with strong cultural currencies will win, every time.
—Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The film, written by Quentin Tarantino, has achieved cult status.
7. 'Top Gun' (1986)
IMDb Rating: 6.9
Kilmer's portrayal of Iceman, a rival pilot to Tom Cruise's Maverick, became iconic in this high-flying action drama that defined a generation.
—Jason D. Greenblatt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cult
Cite this Entry
“Cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cult. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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