philistine 1 of 2

as in materialist
a person who is chiefly interested in material comfort and is hostile or indifferent to art and culture the town's philistines who think that spending on the arts is a waste of taxpayers' money

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

philistine

2 of 2

adjective

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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 philistine
Adjective
In pre-Revolutionary Russia some critics derided his compositions as bourgeois work aimed at philistine audiences. Barrymore Laurence Scherer, WSJ, 3 Aug. 2022 There was no reason — other than bankrupt ideology and blinkered philistine pig-ignorance — not to go hog-wild with stimulus, say, $2 trillion for starters. Ryan Cooper, The Week, 10 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for philistine
Adjective
  • With its 10-foot ceilings, Belgian black heated stone floors, and rough coat plaster walls, the space is atmospheric rather than utilitarian.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2025
  • Because the kitchen is visible from the living and dining areas, Allison downplayed the utilitarian stuff, tucking the stainless-steel refrigerator behind a wall and hiding the range behind the island.
    Amy Panos, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Saxon is all about getting off, and Piper is renouncing the materialistic.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Taurus season starts on April 19, and its materialistic earth sign energy will inspire you to buckle down and focus on your finances.
    Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • For their part, the Russians considered the Mizrahim—indeed, most Israelis—loud, uncultured boors.
    Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
  • Inserting two distinct forms of the gene into clusters of uncultured cells, the team discovered that the form of NOVA1 found in H. neanderthalensis created bumpier blobs of brain tissue when cultured, while the form of NOVA1 found in H. sapiens created smooth, spherical clumps.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 1 Mar. 2023
Adjective
  • Many of the urgent phases in this journey are already being undertaken – the publication of the pragmatic EU White Paper on defence, the EU’s new Eur 800bn loan facility for defence spending and critically Germany’s decision to loosen the debt brake provision on defence spending.
    Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • However, Venus conjunct Saturn on April 7 brings a more pragmatic tone to the mix, asking you to consider long-term commitments and the stability of your romantic connections.
    Valerie Mesa, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This nation state, my home, is built on a quagmire of lies sold to the young as truths; sold to the insecure as truths; sold by the avaricious, the power-hungry, the conceited, the overwhelmingly white and male.
    Christine Winter, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
  • Pearce plays Van Buren as hungry and avaricious even in his kinder moments, a man of immense wealth whose primary desire is to own more and more.
    David Sims, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • There are few modern actors as purely watchable as Walton Goggins, a performer who is capable of both relishing in lowbrow material and elevating it with effortless charm.
    Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The song is a cheeky touch, but also a nod to Daryle’s milieu: a lowbrow America of swamp tours, chain motels, and motorcycle shops.
    Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Like other acquisitive companies, the integration of technology was sub-optimal.
    Peter High, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Infinite Reality, which is building a headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was founded in 2019 and has been acquisitive in recent months, buying companies such as the Drone Racing League, Landvault and virtual reality retail brand Obsess.
    Kif Leswing, CNBC, 25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • All that’s there is an artless effort to provoke outrage — Tony Hinchcliffe with the world’s strongest Boston accent.
    Joe Berkowitz, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
  • The effort of analyzing this video, a piece of artless misinformation, was beneath Abu Hamdan, who has dedicated himself to unveiling the violence of the world through the medium of sound.
    Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 15 July 2024

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Cite this Entry

“Philistine.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/philistine. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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