cultish
gb/kˈʌltɪʃ/ us/kˈʌltɪʃ/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
property
1
like a cult; obsessively devoted
like a cult, with blind loyalty
Usage pattern:
cultish [group/leader/belief/behavior]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse with cultural or cultivated; cultish relates to a cult.
Synonyms
fanatical (Emphasizes extreme enthusiasm; not necessarily tied to a group structure.)
|
zealous (Often suggests strong belief or commitment; can sound more formal.)
Antonyms
skeptical (Suggests questioning rather than unquestioning belief.)
|
independent-minded (Highlights personal judgment instead of group-think.)
Collocations
cultish group
|cultish leader
|cultish devotion
|cultish loyalty
|cultish behavior
|cultish followers
|cultish beliefs
|cultish mindset
|cultish atmosphere
|cultish rhetoric
Themes
society
|religion
|psychology
Examples
- The documentary shows how cultish the movement became once critics were labeled enemies.
- Her friends worried about his cultish devotion to the guru’s teachings.
- The group’s cultish attitude left no room for doubt or disagreement.
Learner examples
- The club felt cultish to me.
- He showed cultish loyalty to the leader.
adjective
C1
property
2
with a small devoted fanbase
liked a lot by a small group of fans
Usage pattern:
cultish [film/band/brand/series]
Common mistake:
Cultish here does not mean dangerous; it often just means 'with a cult following.'
Synonyms
cult (Common in phrases like 'a cult film'; shorter and often more neutral.)
|
niche (Focuses on limited audience, not necessarily intense devotion.)
Antonyms
mainstream (Popular with a broad general audience.)
|
widely popular (Emphasizes broad appeal rather than a small devoted base.)
Collocations
cultish appeal
|cultish fanbase
|cultish following
|cultish status
|cultish popularity
|cultish classic
|cultish reputation
|cultish hit
Themes
entertainment
|media
|marketing
Examples
- The show was canceled after one season but gained a cultish following online.
- That indie game has a cultish appeal despite its rough graphics.
- The album wasn’t a hit at first, but it slowly became cultish among collectors.
Learner examples
- The movie has a cultish following.
- This band is cultish but not famous.
adjective
C1
property
3
using cult-like control tactics
controlling in a cult-like way
Usage pattern:
cultish [tactics/practices/culture]
Common mistake:
This sense is about methods and culture, not just strong interest.
Synonyms
manipulative (General term for controlling or influencing unfairly; not specifically cult-related.)
|
coercive (Emphasizes pressure and force; more formal.)
Antonyms
open (Encouraging transparency and questioning.)
|
noncoercive (Not using pressure or force.)
Collocations
cultish tactics
|cultish practices
|cultish culture
|cultish recruitment
|cultish messaging
|cultish indoctrination
|cultish control
|cultish pressure
Themes
psychology
|work
|society
Examples
- Employees described the company’s cultish culture, where criticism was treated as betrayal.
- The speaker used cultish tactics to pressure newcomers into donating money.
- Her parents feared the program’s cultish practices would isolate her from family and friends.
Learner examples
- The group used cultish tactics.
- The workplace felt cultish and controlling.
adjective
C1
property
4
eerie and ritual-like
strange and ritual-like, like a cult
Usage pattern:
cultish [ceremony/ritual/vibe/scene]
Synonyms
ritualistic (Neutral term focusing on ritual; not necessarily creepy.)
|
sinister (Stronger; emphasizes threatening or evil atmosphere.)
Antonyms
ordinary (Lacking strange or ritual-like qualities.)
|
straightforward (Clear and un-mysterious.)
Collocations
cultish ritual
|cultish ceremony
|cultish vibe
|cultish imagery
|cultish symbols
|cultish chants
|cultish scene
Themes
arts
|emotions
|society
Examples
- The film opens with a cultish ceremony in the woods.
- The chanting gave the room a cultish vibe.
- The novel’s cultish imagery makes the final chapter unsettling.
Learner examples
- The scene felt cultish.
- They described a cultish ritual.
Grammar
Dictionary form
cultish
IPA
GB/kˈʌltɪʃ/
US/kˈʌltɪʃ/
Syllables & stress
cult - ish (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cult)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: cultish
- Comparative: cultisher
- Superlative: cultishest
Word family
Forms
cultisher
adjective
cultishest
adjective
Core family
cult
noun B2
cultist
noun
Related words
cultlike
adjective
Advanced or less common
cultic
adjective
cultism
noun
Expressions
cultish devotion
1/kˈʌltɪʃ dɪvˈoʊʃən/
fixed phrase
blind loyalty like a cult
very strong loyalty without questions
Examples
- The leader inspired cultish devotion among his followers.
- Her cultish devotion to the brand surprised even her friends.
- The article criticized the cultish devotion that shut down honest debate.
cultish following
1/kˈʌltɪʃ fˈɑloʊɪŋ/
fixed phrase
small, intensely loyal fanbase
a small group of very loyal fans
Examples
- The podcast has a cultish following that buys every piece of merch.
- That restaurant developed a cultish following after a celebrity mentioned it.
- The character’s cultish following kept the franchise alive for years.
cultish vibe
1/kˈʌltɪʃ vˈaɪb/
fixed phrase
informal
atmosphere that feels cult-like
a feeling that something is like a cult
Examples
- The retreat had a cultish vibe, with chanting before every meal.
- Their meetings gave me a cultish vibe, so I stopped going.
- The music and lighting created a cultish vibe in the club.