Faustian
adjective
of, relating to, or characteristic of Faust.
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Faustian
American
[fou-stee-uhn]
/ ˈfaʊ sti ən /
adjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of Faust.
a Faustian novel.
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sacrificing spiritual values for power, knowledge, or material gain.
a Faustian pact with the Devil.
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characterized by spiritual dissatisfaction or torment.
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possessed with a hunger for knowledge or mastery.
faustian
British
/ ˈfaʊstɪən /
adjective
Etymology
Origin of Faustian
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Other versions of the Faustian bargain tale end in regret; in this one, Johnson is content with his choice.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025
“I remember being in the set and being like, ‘This is so cool that I can have my own experience inside this Faustian experience,’” Baron says of “Life & Trust.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025
“The Apprentice,” which is labeled as inspired by true events, portrays Trump’s dealings with Cohn as a Faustian bargain that guided his rise as a businessman and, later, as a politician.
From Seattle Times • May 21, 2024
"The first payment has come due for our Faustian Aerosol Bargain."
From Salon • Mar. 18, 2024
The Faustian bargain between humans and grains was not the only deal our species made.
From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
