Tom is a philistine.
Source: tatoeba (6886089)
Philistine
/ˈfɪlɪstaɪn/
Synonyms for "philistine" (176 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (36)
Strong matches (52)
compulsive characterconformerconformistconventionalistcrassdeceiveddullearthlyearthyepicierflintyformalistfunctionally illiterategeneralgothicgrammarlessgroundlingguttersnipehardhardened
Show 28 more words
hardheartedheathenhigh-camphomelyhomespunhoodwinkedhooliganignoramusill-bred fellowill-educatedilliterateimperviousinduratedinsensitiveinuredkitschyled astrayloobyloutlow fellowlow-camplowbrowmaterialmaterialistmaterialisticmethodologistmiddle americanmiddle-class type
Adjective(1 words)
Related words (88)
middlebrowmisinformedmisinstructedmistaughtmodel childmuckermundanenarrow-mindednonintellectualnouveau richeordinaryorganization manpachydermatouspaganparrotparvenupeasantpedantperfectionistplastic person
Show 63 more words
plebeianpoppopularprecisianprecisianistprofaneproof againstprosaicpublicribaldroughroughneckrowdyruderuffiansecularsheepsquaresteeledsteeled againststeelystonytastelessteenyboppertemporalterrestrialthick skinnedthick-skinnedtrimmerunbookedunbookishunbooklearnedunbriefeduncivilizeduncultivatedunculturedunedifieduneducatedunenlighteneduneruditeunguideduninstructedunintellectualunlearnedunletteredunliteraryunreadunrefinedunscholarlyunschooledunspiritualunstudiousuntaughtuntutoredupstartvernacularvulgarianvulgaristworldlyyahooyes manyes-manyokel
Noun(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: anal character, ancient philistine, anti-intellectual, anti-intellectual, antiintellectual.
- Sentence evidence is available for philistine, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "philistine".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "philistine"
Keep "philistine" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "philistine" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "philistine", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "philistine" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
13 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
10 entriesacademic philistinecultural philistinephilistine attitudephilistine culturephilistine perspectivephilistine sensibilitiesphilistine tastephilistine valuesphilistinismurban philistine
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
33 total sentences available.
Philistine territory was divided into the territory of the five cities of Gaza, Ashdod, Askalon, Gath, and Ekron, the so-called Philistine Pentapolis.
Source: tatoeba (11955551)
Then the lords of the Philiſtines gathered them together, for to offer a great ſacrifice vnto Dagon their god, and to reioyce; for they ſaid, Our god hath deliuered Samſon our enemy into our hand.
Source: wiktionary
Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 33 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "philistine"?
Closest matches include anal character, ancient philistine, anti-intellectual, anti-intellectual, antiintellectual.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "philistine"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.