so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfi-stə-ˌkāt 
sophisticated; sophisticating
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
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfi-sti-kət
-stə-ˌkāt
-stə-ˌkāt
: a sophisticated person
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
Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Flavors Defining the Savory Girl Era The savory girl is sophisticated, with a mature palate that appreciates complex flavors.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2026
Despite parents’ efforts, allowances aren’t necessarily minting a new generation of financial sophisticates.
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
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Verb
The tech industry has pounced on the idea that robots will soon be sophisticated enough to replace humans in a host of tasks, with more than $3 billion in venture funding going to humanoid development last year.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 4 Feb. 2026
Flavors Defining the Savory Girl Era The savory girl is sophisticated, with a mature palate that appreciates complex flavors.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
Heartland churchgoers, urban sophisticates, football neophytes—everyone got swept up in his will to win.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 8 Feb. 2026
Despite parents’ efforts, allowances aren’t necessarily minting a new generation of financial sophisticates.
—Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sophisticate
Cite this Entry
“Sophisticate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sophisticate. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sophisticate
1 of 2 verb
so·phis·ti·cate
sə-ˈfis-tə-ˌkāt
sophisticated; sophisticating
: to cause to become sophisticated
sophistication
noun
-ˌfis-tə-ˈkā-shən
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
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