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Sophisticated vs Worldly-wise vs Worldly vs Blasé vs Disillusioned

Sophisticated, worldly-wiseworldlyblasédisillusioned are synonymous when they apply to persons, to their attitudes and actions, or to products of human skill and effort and mean experienced or revealing experience in the ways of the world.

Sophisticated may be a term of reproach or of commendation according to the point of view of the speaker or writer, but it regularly implies a loss of naturalness, simplicity, or spontaneity through experience. From one point of view the term connotes artificiality of manner, overrefinement, and absence of enthusiasm as the price paid for experience that brings knowledge of men and their ways.

From another point of view it implies a type of mentality marked by distinction, urbanity, cleverness, together with an indifference to all that is simple or banal in life.

From still another it may imply a cultivation that enables a man to rise above the ordinary or usual.

Worldly-wise and worldly imply a wisdom gained by attention to the things and ways of the world. Often they stress alienation from true spiritual interests and, as a result, devotion to aims that will make one happy in this world, typically suggesting a concentration upon material ends or aims or upon a wealth of worldly experience.

Blasé implies a lack of responsiveness to things which have once been a joy or delight. It usually suggests satiety, but also it tends to suggest such real or affected overexperience and overcultivation as leads to disdain for all that arouses the average person’s interest.

Disillusioned implies having had experiences that have completely destroyed a person’s illusions, with resulting hopelessness; it applies to a person who from experience is no longer capable of enthusiasm or of idealistic motives and who has grown not only realistic but scornful of the sentimental, the visionary, the emotional.