1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a bawdy limerick that mischievous storytellers love to recite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bawdy
Australian playwright Tony McNamara has turned his side hustle as a screenwriter into a blessing for Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favourite), and viewers of The Great, his bawdy historical farce for Hulu, can attest to his love of layered, lacerating insults.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
American Pie is both funnier and bawdier than Porky's, though that 1981 romp gets points for Kim Cattrall's outrageous orgasm scene.
—Michelle Kung, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Nettie Jones’ Fish Tales, recently reissued from FSG, is riotous, bawdy, horny, alarming, funny, gross, and frank.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Raitt has a mischievous, bawdy sense of humor.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
American Pie is both funnier and bawdier than Porky's, though that 1981 romp gets points for Kim Cattrall's outrageous orgasm scene.
—Michelle Kung, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Nettie Jones’ Fish Tales, recently reissued from FSG, is riotous, bawdy, horny, alarming, funny, gross, and frank.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Raitt has a mischievous, bawdy sense of humor.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawdy
Adjective
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Weiner pled guilty to transferring obscene material to a minor in 2017 and spent 15 months in federal prison for the crime.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
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Texas Tech’s student section directed an obscene chant at Kansas’ Darryn Peterson as the freshman guard prepared to shoot a free throw late in the first half of the Jayhawks’ 64-61 victory over the Red Raiders on Monday night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas.—
Gary Bedore,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Patients accused Heaps of groping them, performing unnecessarily invasive examinations and making suggestive comments.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
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The report noted some mottling and nodules in the liver and a spleen with one hypoechoic mass and multiple similar nodules suggestive of hemangiosarcoma.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When authorities asked King to remove the breast banner as vulgar, King taped over the nipples with stars made of tape or Magic Marker.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
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Sarah, the former Duchess of York, also sent emails to Epstein which included a vulgar mention of Eugenie, who had not yet turned 20 at the time, People reported.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Squirrels cannot stand this spicy smell and will steer clear of your garden or home.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
10 Feb. 2026
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Pair it with their signature warm nuts drenched in Tap Roots’ homemade spicy maple syrup, which is destined to put the hot honey craze to shame once word gets out.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The speakers took questions from concerned parents, who asked about the use of artificial intelligence to create pornographic images — a growing threat on social media — and what law enforcement will do about trafficking as the World Cup approaches.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Feb. 2026
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Douglas Wiederhold, 42, who appeared as the male actor in 71 of the website’s pornographic videos, pleaded guilty in 2024 to a federal conspiracy charge for his involvement with the now-defunct site.—
City News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some thought that Kubrick’s adaptation of Thackeray should have been more like Tony Richardson’s Best Picture–winning 1963 Henry Fielding adaptation Tom Jones — earthy, ribald, comic.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
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Over the years, the notoriously ribald Stern has interviewed hundreds of actors, comedians, music artists, athletes, politicians and more on his show.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The mother of three was first spotted with the hunky Larocca, in October 2024, about six months after the nasty breakup with Hall.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
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Talarico remarked that the nasty interloper would provide good color for my story, and then recalled the time that former Governor Rick Perry had encountered a coyote while running outside Austin—and shot it dead.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Scherzer, one of few pitchers who still runs foul poles after starts, was taking on players in their early-to-mid-20s to footraces after workouts.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Lee received a technical foul after being bothered by an offensive foul call on Grant Williams and immediately was sent off by head referee John Goble.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawdy. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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