bawdy

1 of 2

adjective

bawdier; bawdiest
Synonyms of bawdynext
1
: boisterously or humorously indecent
bawdy jokes
2
: obscene, lewd
a bawdy comedian
bawdily adverb
bawdiness noun

bawdy

2 of 2

noun

Examples of bawdy in a Sentence

Adjective a bawdy film that is not appropriate for children a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
That’s because the musical path D’Angelo was headed on was light-years away from bawdy lover-boy balladry. Keith Murphy, VIBE.com, 12 Dec. 2025 The butler who steals the car is very elderly and bawdy. Rachel Handler, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025 Hell’s Half-acre, the bawdy section of town, was thriving, the Texas Brewery opened in 1891, and Byer’s Opera House had brought burlesque to Cowtown. Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Nov. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for bawdy

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

bawd + -y entry 1

Noun

probably from bawdy entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1513, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bawdy was circa 1513

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bawdy. Accessed 15 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

bawdy

adjective
ˈbȯd-ē
bawdier; bawdiest
: morally objectionable : obscene
bawdily
ˈbȯd-ᵊl-ē
adverb
bawdiness
ˈbȯd-ē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on bawdy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!