1
as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene
the song couldn't be performed on the air due to the obscenity of the lyrics
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
uttered a loud obscenity when he dropped the hammer on his toe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscenity
The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.
—
Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
Morgan’s subject, Margaret Anderson, was the first person to publish portions of James Joyce’s Ulysses in the United States—and was convicted on obscenity charges as a result.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.
—Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register, Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly and others screaming such obscenities as parishioners enter and exit the sanctuary has culminated in the parish’s requests for police escorts.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
Morgan’s subject, Margaret Anderson, was the first person to publish portions of James Joyce’s Ulysses in the United States—and was convicted on obscenity charges as a result.
—Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.
—Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register, Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly and others screaming such obscenities as parishioners enter and exit the sanctuary has culminated in the parish’s requests for police escorts.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscenity
Noun
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One of Lamont’s unacknowledged strengths is his public composure and innate courtesy in an era when escalating vulgarity in politics shows an ugly American face to us and the world.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
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Hungerstone is a delicious tribute to the inherent horrors of womanhood and the desperate and exquisite vulgarity of desire.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Those declines are making Berkshire's more than $350 billion in cash look more like a blessing than a curse.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
7 Feb. 2026
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Classical Amid all the constant wondering of when things will get better, the slow drip of time may feel like a curse.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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He is charged with open and lewd grossness.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
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In fact, plenty of other things in your home surpass the toilet in terms of grossness.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Under the watchful eye of sheriffs deputies who threatened to ticket anyone caught standing in the road, along with a small number of National Guard members, the protesters took turns screaming swears and warming up in nearby parked cars.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
28 Jan. 2026
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If accumulation is the issue, Giaquinto swears by the five-second and five-year rules.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The other funnymen of the time—Milton Berle with his lewd suggestiveness, Jackie Gleason with his baleful roar—did the same shtick over and over.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Wright also said a teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a social media post circulated of the educator displaying protest signs -- which included profanity -- while on campus.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
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Public spaces are routinely polluted by blaring music packed with profanity and racial slurs, and no one thinks twice about it.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Despite speaking different languages, Toro Sepulveda and Henry became close friends, both said.—
Nuria Martinez-Keel,
Oklahoma Voice,
10 Feb. 2026
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The new program at Butler is one of just five Deaf education programs in the country with a focus on spoken language, according to the program’s website.—
Claire Rafford,
IndyStar,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscenity. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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