personality cult

noun

: a situation in which a public figure (such as a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of a country as a great person who should be admired and loved

Examples of personality cult 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.
Florida’s move to name Altman directly plays into the personality cult many a techlord have fostered to varying degrees with their army of flacks and acting coaches. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 1 June 2026 Imposing the personality cult upon the state is designed not only to burnish the leader’s image, but to create opportunities to smoke out dissidents. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 30 Dec. 2025 Xi thought Mao’s personality cult during the Cultural Revolution was disastrous. Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025 The party must put Maryland priorities first, such as fixing the budget crisis, cutting wasteful spending and delivering real results for residents ahead of any national personality cult. Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for personality cult

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Personality cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personality%20cult. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster