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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
For Ghalib, Delhi was a cosmopolitan city where Hindus, Muslims and the British lived and worked side by side. — Aishwarya Lakshmi, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026 Long considered the gateway to Spain, Madrid is a vibrant, cosmopolitan European capital that is steeped in rich history, world-class art and a lively cultural scene. — Jennifer Fernández Solano, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 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
  • The Future According to Brad is chunks in shades of butterscotch, caramel, and cinnamon—sophisticated candy colors.
    — Vanessa Friedman, Vogue, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Chemical suppliers are developing increasingly sophisticated products, while machinery, software and process control continue to improve.
    — Alice Tonello, Footwear News, 31 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cosmopolitan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cosmopolitan. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on cosmopolitan

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cosmopolitan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All