cultish
gb/kˈʌltɪʃ/ us/kˈʌltɪʃ/
C1
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
C1
property
1
like a cult; obsessively devoted
like a cult, with blind loyalty
Schéma d’usage :
cultish [group/leader/belief/behavior]
Erreur fréquente :
Do not confuse with cultural or cultivated; cultish relates to a cult.
Synonymes
fanatical (Emphasizes extreme enthusiasm; not necessarily tied to a group structure.)
|
zealous (Often suggests strong belief or commitment; can sound more formal.)
Antonymes
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
Thèmes
society
|religion
|psychology
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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
Schéma d’usage :
cultish [film/band/brand/series]
Erreur fréquente :
Cultish here does not mean dangerous; it often just means 'with a cult following.'
Synonymes
cult (Common in phrases like 'a cult film'; shorter and often more neutral.)
|
niche (Focuses on limited audience, not necessarily intense devotion.)
Antonymes
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
Thèmes
entertainment
|media
|marketing
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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
Schéma d’usage :
cultish [tactics/practices/culture]
Erreur fréquente :
This sense is about methods and culture, not just strong interest.
Synonymes
manipulative (General term for controlling or influencing unfairly; not specifically cult-related.)
|
coercive (Emphasizes pressure and force; more formal.)
Antonymes
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
Thèmes
psychology
|work
|society
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- 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
Schéma d’usage :
cultish [ceremony/ritual/vibe/scene]
Synonymes
ritualistic (Neutral term focusing on ritual; not necessarily creepy.)
|
sinister (Stronger; emphasizes threatening or evil atmosphere.)
Antonymes
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
Thèmes
arts
|emotions
|society
Exemples
- 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.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The scene felt cultish.
- They described a cultish ritual.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
cultish
API
GB/kˈʌltɪʃ/
US/kˈʌltɪʃ/
Syllabes et accentuation
cult - ish (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (cult)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: cultish
- Comparative: cultisher
- Superlative: cultishest
Famille de mots
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
Exemples
- 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
Exemples
- 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
Exemples
- 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.