sexting

noun

sex·​ting ˈsek-stiŋ How to pronounce sexting (audio)
: the sending of sexually explicit messages or images by cell phone

Examples of sexting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The app works by employing artificial intelligence to analyze phone activity for signs of cyberbullying, violence, sexting, suicidal ideation, or adult content. Lindsay Modglin, Parents, 19 Dec. 2023 One girlfriend said she’s had as many as four different sexting sessions going at once. Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023 Studies suggest that sexting, or sharing intimate information via digital devices, is practiced by 25 percent to 35 percent of teenagers. Lauren Leffer, Scientific American, 18 Sep. 2023 The app first known for sexting and later for its bunny-ear photo filters is proving X is not the only social media platform to struggle commercially. Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 26 July 2023 An esteemed news anchor on the BBC — who made the announcement that Queen Elizabeth had died — has been named as the man at the center of a sexting scandal. Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 12 July 2023 De Blasio, at the time the city’s public advocate, entered the 2013 Democratic mayoral primary race as an underdog but came out on top, thanks partly to the sexting scandal that doomed former US representative Anthony Weiner’s campaign. BostonGlobe.com, 5 July 2023 In addition to the Smart Filter, which detects and blocks inappropriate images and videos, Canopy provides sexting alerts that can help detect and prevent inappropriate photos from being shared. Nikolas Lanum, Fox News, 29 June 2023 An inventive mix of music, humor, and lockdown anxiety, his deep-dive into a bizarro new world is a pseudo-fantasy tuned by hypnotic songs about Instagram, sexting, and the like. Deanna Janes, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sexting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

blend of sex and texting

First Known Use

2005, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sexting was in 2005

Dictionary Entries Near sexting

Cite this Entry

“Sexting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexting. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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