1. the beliefs, practices, and devotion characteristic of a cult or its members
2. excessive or unquestioning devotion to a person, idea, or thing

Examples

• The documentary exposed the dangers of cultism and how groups manipulate their followers.
• Scholars study cultism to understand how charismatic leaders gain control over their members.
• The rise of cultism in the 1970s prompted government investigations into unregulated religious groups.
• Parents worried about their children falling into cultism through online communities.
• Cultism often involves isolation from family and critical thinking.
• Experts warn that cultism can cause lasting psychological harm to former members.