as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire
a moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry
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Recent Examples of licentious
She’s preoccupied though, training a gun on the facility’s head officer, Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw (Sean Penn), whose RFK Jr. rasp and licentious focus on Perfidia sets him up as a comedic draw and a convincing picture of America’s sanctioned white violence.
—
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Indeed, Black women have historically been viewed by whites as unclean and licentious and therefore undeserving of protection.
—Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
His strained, sandpaper-coarse timbre served as an ideal conduit for songs concerned with boisterous revelries, shady agreements, licentious intentions and musical pleasures.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Indeed, Black women have historically been viewed by whites as unclean and licentious and therefore undeserving of protection.
—Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
His strained, sandpaper-coarse timbre served as an ideal conduit for songs concerned with boisterous revelries, shady agreements, licentious intentions and musical pleasures.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licentious
Adjective
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Kepner is passionate about accountability and service journalism and encourages anyone to reach out to her to tell their story or share a tip.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
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Most importantly of all, the goal of an actor is to share it, have people see it and have strong, passionate feelings about it — good and sometimes bad.—
Scarlett Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The layered neckline, with the bust peeking out from behind, imitates this season's hottest red carpet trend, the semi-visible bra.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Glamour,
12 Jan. 2026
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The cameras were on and the mic was hot when Johnson rallied his team in the locker room following a 31-27 comeback victory.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Detectives with the sheriff’s Child Abuse Bureau led the investigation and obtained an arrest warrant for Rutherford on one count of oral copulation on a victim 10 years old or younger and three counts of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
19 Dec. 2025
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She is charged with two counts of indecent, lewd or lascivious touching of certain minors, and violation of parole, according to the report.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Long before the yelling and the lustful soil came the rabbit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Dec. 2025
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King Princess talks the lustful, haunted anthems of 'Girl Violence' King Princess has had a remarkable 2025 thus far.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Licentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licentious. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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