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sophisticated

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verb

past tense of sophisticate

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sophisticated differ from other similar words?

The words blasé and worldly-wise are common synonyms of sophisticated. While all three words mean "experienced in the ways of the world," sophisticated often implies refinement, urbanity, cleverness, and cultivation.

guests at her salon were usually rich and sophisticated

When might blasé be a better fit than sophisticated?

The meanings of blasé and sophisticated largely overlap; however, blasé implies a lack of responsiveness to common joys as a result of a real or affected surfeit of experience and cultivation.

blasé travelers who claimed to have been everywhere

In what contexts can worldly-wise take the place of sophisticated?

Although the words worldly-wise and sophisticated have much in common, worldly-wise suggests a close and practical knowledge of the affairs and manners of society and an inclination toward materialism.

a worldly-wise woman with a philosophy of personal independence

Examples Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sophisticated
Adjective
Sleek and sophisticated, monochromatic schemes—particularly in white, gold and silver—are trending, like this silver belles-inspired 40-count ornament set. Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 11 Dec. 2024 Companies are spending billions trying to evolve from chatbots to more sophisticated uses of the technology. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 10 Dec. 2024 As watch collecting has become more sophisticated, so have these aggregators/sales platforms, some of which are robust enough to be used and endorsed by major auction houses. Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 10 Dec. 2024 This growth could suggest a sophisticated and evolving SIGINT mission, the authors noted. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sophisticated 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sophisticated
Adjective
  • And much like the Gulf ports of today, opulent communities of global traders set up shop in Kabul, giving the city a cosmopolitan touch.
    David Chaffetz, Fortune Asia, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Africans are among the most open and cosmopolitan folks on earth, straddling multiple continents and speaking several languages.
    Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The traditional wedding guest ensembles for women consist of a sari, a lehenga choli, or an Anarkali suit with intricate embroidery or embellishments.
    Shelby Wax, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Being able to produce such an intricate affair — from the decorating to the cooking to the conversation — was seen as an accomplishment at the time, per Julier.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • His crew is mostly high school students collecting community service hours along with old hands who have been using wobbly ladders, ropes and pulleys for years to string long strands of lights from the cedars’ graceful branches.
    Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Toasts around a table have long been interpreted as a gesture of goodwill, and Princess Anne made a graceful save with her fellow dinner guest.
    Janine Henni, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Skip to the current day and supercomputers are performing a nearly unfathomable number of calculations daily to produce highly detailed weather forecasts many days into the future around the globe.
    Mary Gilbert, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Many of the funerary engravings that have been found are much longer and more detailed than the one in Blais’ studio.
    Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Since the 1950s, television, slot cars, plastic models and other diversions have diluted the attraction of model trains.
    George Petras, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Many of them reacted with anger on Friday, fearing their positions would be diluted by the share sale, or airing other theories about the motivation for the transaction.
    Dade Hayes, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • This includes smart TVs, non-gaming laptops, phones, tablets or third party gaming devices.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
  • In response, social media companies’ algorithms to detect drug-selling behavior are getting smarter and are aggregating images and emojis, Fuller says.
    Mattha Busby, WIRED, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Some, like comedy kingpin Chuck Lorre, have more complicated deals that may eclipse those of the mega-earners due to back-end compensation terms for shows that perform well.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The author also shares his account of the complicated history of baking fundamentals like sugar, flour, and vanilla.
    The Bon Appétit and Epicurious Staffs, Bon Appétit, 10 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • By contrast, the recent behavior of the rebels who have just conquered Syria looks reassuringly civilized.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
  • The United States is a civilized country with strong democratic institutions.
    Steven A. Harvey, Baltimore Sun, 4 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near sophisticated

Cite this Entry

“Sophisticated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sophisticated. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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