1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
some of the movie's most ribald, and thus funniest, scenes were cut for showing on broadcast television
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a ribald tale rife with double entendres and racy innuendo
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Recent Examples of ribald
Eight years ago that original, decidedly more ribald version, was a surprise hit with gay men.
—
Rod Stafford Hagwood, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Oct. 2020
But, Brigman found, the men in Stieglitz’s scene often belittled the subject, ogling and making ribald jokes.
—Sarah Blackwood, The New Yorker, 11 May 2020
But Beforeigners eschews the supernatural, and the campier teen soap elements, to deliver a thoughtful, moving, and often quite ribald and funny tale of various worlds colliding.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Rod Stafford Hagwood, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Oct. 2020
But, Brigman found, the men in Stieglitz’s scene often belittled the subject, ogling and making ribald jokes.
—Sarah Blackwood, The New Yorker, 11 May 2020
But Beforeigners eschews the supernatural, and the campier teen soap elements, to deliver a thoughtful, moving, and often quite ribald and funny tale of various worlds colliding.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribald
Adjective
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If this obscene gerrymander survives, the next one will purge what little remains of Democratic representation in the Legislature, where the GOP holds massive supermajorities far beyond its share of the electorate.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
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He was also given a third charge involving obscene material and minors, according to jail records.—
Devoun Cetoute,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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There are several variations on classic trivia packaged into different games, as well as a one-letter-guessing game that’s suggestive of Jeopardy.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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Our guidance to them was to be helpful to clients, suggestive as opposed to pushy and to allow consumers plenty of room to experiment/sample.—
Jenny B. Fine,
Footwear News,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Glamorous on the verge of vulgar, elegant yet unrestrained, and unmistakably luxurious.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
17 May 2026
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Aimed mainly toward men between 18 and 49 years old, hot talk mixed vulgar jokes with talk about pop culture and politics and often took political positions contrary to feminism and liberalism.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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Those are followed by a look inside Milpero’s fermentation room, where a sample drink acts as a midway digestif for the spicy, spectacular hot courses served later in the night.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
19 May 2026
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This spicy and creamy queso is taken up a notch with a layer of creamy guacamole.—
Nellah Bailey McGough,
Southern Living,
19 May 2026
Adjective
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Professor Glen-Peter Ahlers, 71, was arrested in February after at least hundreds of pornographic photos and videos of children were found on his hard drive.—
Silas Morgan,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
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The illicit chatbots allegedly produced pornographic images.—
Cerys Davies,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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As her Canadian indie rom-com rolled out in theaters, Levack’s big, bawdy, American-campus comedy Roommates dropped on Netflix.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
22 Apr. 2026
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True to the genre’s name, the blues could be bawdy, humorously describing the pleasures of the flesh, or sorrowful, conveying heart-wrenching despair.—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The ball ricocheted off Holmes’ leg into foul territory on the first-base side.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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As for next steps in his game, Graves is trying to become a more reliable floor-spacer and perimeter defender; a monstrously high foul rate was his most notable negative during the season.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Drain Mats Kitchen sinks may be dirty, but your drain mat is downright nasty.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
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But facing the Jaguars after the Chiefs and before the Rams is nasty business.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ribald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribald. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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