cosmopolitan 1 of 2

adjective

ˌkäz-mə-ˈpä-lə-tən How to pronounce cosmopolitan (audio)
Definition of cosmopolitannext
as in sophisticated
having a wide and refined knowledge of the world especially from personal experience a college student who now seems conspicuously cosmopolitan after spending his junior year abroad

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cosmopolitan

2 of 2

noun

as in sophisticate
a person with the outlook, experience, and manners thought to be typical of big city dwellers as someone who had lived in Paris for a year as an exchange student, she seemed very much the cosmopolitan to her old classmates

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example 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 cosmopolitan
Adjective
The Kennedy Center once drew some of the world’s most prominent acts, epitomizing Washington’s cosmopolitan ambitions. — Janay Kingsberry, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 Hypocrites, humbugs, Germans, Jews, Yankees, foreigners, Park Laners, cosmopolitan riffraff. — Literary Hub, 24 July 2026
Noun
There's a matinee for students and daytime explorers and a Saturday night outing for date-night cosmopolitans. — Duante Beddingfield, Freep.com, 26 Mar. 2026 In that series, Michelle Pfeiffer’s cosmopolitan Stacy Clyburn learns to embrace the American West after a tragedy forces her to leave New York City for the Madison River Valley in central Montana. — Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cosmopolitan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cosmopolitan
  1. sophisticated
  2. sophisticate
  3. metropolitan
Adjective
  • Something Sculptural As the name would suggest, the Rodin stool from Arhaus has a sculptural appeal—it can be easily assimilated into a sophisticated bar setup, or used to dress up a more casual breakfast bar.
    — Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In Chicago, perpetrators are a mix of opportunists and more sophisticated networks often tied to street gangs.
    — Kiel Porter, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of sophisticated
Noun
  • The homeowners, who launched the modern apothecary brand Malin+Goetz in 2004 out of a white-box Manhattan storefront, have settled into life as rural sophisticates.
    — Laura Regensdorf, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 2026
  • International sophisticates of every age, seasonal trade-fair young professionals, glamour puss models, honeymooners, couples with kids in tow, heads of state and some of the world’s biggest film stars.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of sophisticate
Noun
  • As for the documentary, that was spurred by Scorsese's trip to Polizzi Generosa, a town where her father's ancestors are from, in the Italian metropolitan of Palermo.
    — Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025
  • From Atlantic beaches to Western mountains to central metropolitans, there’s a destination suited to every type of traveler.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
Definition of metropolitan

Browse Nearby Words

cosmopolises
cosmopolitan
cosmopolitanism
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Cite this Entry

“Cosmopolitan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmopolitan. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cosmopolitan

Nglish: Translation of cosmopolitan for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cosmopolitan

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