Crossword Dictionary

cult

noun

A relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or as imposing excessive control over members.

SYNONYMS

sect, religious group, religious order, faith community

EXAMPLES:

‘He also quotes a writer in 1939, who read a scene of nude figures carved upon a bowl as representing worshippers in a mystery cult.’

‘The belief system of many modern cults and spiritual groups is a hodgepodge conglomeration of ideas from religion, philosophy, psychology, the occult, and science.’

‘The promotion of the generative powers of earth, water, and human, animal, and fish populations is a common concern of major religions and small-scale cults the world over.’

‘Certain cults and religious specialists gain popularity beyond the local level because people feel that they can offer effective help for certain problems.’