Meaning & use

cult

noun·Academic

A social group, often religious, with extreme or unconventional beliefs and intense devotion to a leader or idea.

See it in a sentence

The documentary exposed how the cult isolated members from their families.

The low-budget film later gained a cult following among fans of science fiction.

A note on using this word

Used with 'following,' cult loses its negative sense and simply describes a small but passionately devoted fan base.

Words with a similar meaning

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