bawdy

adjective

\ ˈbȯ-dē

How to pronounce bawdy (audio)

\

bawdier; bawdiest

Definition of bawdy

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : boisterously or humorously indecent bawdy jokes

2 : obscene, lewd a bawdy comedian

bawdy

noun

Definition of bawdy (Entry 2 of 2)

: bawdry sense 2

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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: Adjective The artist employed apprentices to create copies of his most popular works, including The King Drinks, a bawdy scene depicting a monarch flanked by spirited partygoers. — Isis Davis-marks, Smithsonian Magazine, "A 400-Year-Old Flemish Masterpiece Spent Decades Hiding in Plain Sight," 9 Dec. 2020 Cole introduced his glitzy, wisecracking female persona to audiences more than a half century ago and continues to describe Darcelle as a bawdy bundle of sequins, feathers, big hair, big jewelry and jokes. — oregonlive, "1896 Queen Anne, owned by drag queen Darcelle, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places," 30 Sep. 2020 For those whose appetites have been whetted by the prologue, this is certainly something to look forward to; in peak Chaucer form, the narrative is exceptionally bawdy and rude. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, "A New App Guides Readers Through Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’," 5 Feb. 2020 This theatrical look at legendary governor Ann Richards is a two-hour delight, full of bawdy stories, rich insights and quotable lines. — Jeanne Jakle, ExpressNews.com, "‘Perry Mason,’ ‘Queer Eye’ and 10 more new and returning TV shows to watch this summer," 4 June 2020 With over 212,000 followers on Facebook, Ms. Nyanzi mixes profanity and bawdy humor with razor-sharp political insights in both English and Luganda to taunt the president and his family and agitate for sociopolitical and economic change. — Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, "‘I Refuse to Be Repentant’: The Woman Challenging Uganda’s Ruler," 3 Apr. 2020 The Mexican band known as Los Strwck made a string of mother-in-law jokes into a bawdy cumbia song for the title song the group’s 1970 album. — Judy Cantor-navas, Billboard, "The Music Of 'Roma': Get Familiar With the Oscar-Nominated Film's Soundtrack," 22 Jan. 2019 After her husband cheats on her, Midge drunkenly does a bawdy comedy routine at a comedy club. — Alicia Kortendick, cleveland, "TV shows you can watch to take your mind off coronavirus," 16 Mar. 2020 Albeit no stranger to brand deals, EDM has never seen a stunt as bawdy and obnoxiously lacking in self-awareness as KFC's Colonel Sander's impromptu DJ set and afterwards at least one thing is clear: PLUR does not include KFC. — Helen Donahue, Billboard, "Colonel Sin: KFC's Ultra DJ Performance Was a Dystopian Nightmare, And a Warning for Brands Everywhere (Column)," 5 Apr. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Now, in a film directed by George C. Wolfe and produced by Denzel Washington, Rainey’s bawdy honesty, and Wilson’s grand concept, have been hijacked to serve the bitter agenda of today’s racial-justice movement. — Armond White, National Review, "The Fiasco of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom," 1 Jan. 2021 The ancient city is well known for its bawdy graffiti, and thermopolia were likely not among its more refined establishments. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian Magazine, "Ancient Pompeiians Stopped at This ‘Snack Bar’ to Feast on Snails, Fish and Wine," 30 Dec. 2020 Persaud captures the gorgeous rhythms of Trinidadian speech and presents the bawdy humor, wit and buoyancy Trinis are known for. — Naomi Jackson, Washington Post, "‘Love After Love’ reminds readers why we go to books in search of answers to life’s great questions," 12 Aug. 2020 Here’s another reboot of an old MTV favorite, the bawdy dating game that starred Chris Hardwick and Jenny McCarthy. — Jim Kiest, ExpressNews.com, "A guide to Quibi, the new streaming service for smartphones with TV show episodes of 10 minutes or less," 6 Apr. 2020 The film tries to replicate the formula that made Bridesmaids sing, pairing a heartfelt story exploring the complexities of female friendship with bawdy, over-the-top comedy. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Like a Boss is a female buddy comedy in need of a serious makeover: Review," 9 Jan. 2020 An army of chiding librarians seems to have arisen, tsk-tsk-ing the poor writer’s bawdy, outrageous imagination. — Rachel Pearson, The New Yorker, "“The House of God,” a Book as Sexist as It Was Influential, Gets a Sequel," 25 Dec. 2019 Spiked with campy drag, and Naughty-List-worthy lyrics, the bawdy, British music hall take on Ebenezer's ghostly story is straight-up bubbly fun, instantly kicking you into higher spirits. — oregonlive, "‘Scrooge in Rouge’ review: Triangle Productions dishes out Dickens classic with pure camp," 2 Dec. 2019 The video, directed by Andy Hines, is eye-catching, complete with cowboy hats, dyed furs, twerking backup dancers, and Lizzo showing off bawdy and her flute skills. — Paula Rogo, Essence, "Lizzo Wows In 'Tempo' Video With Missy Elliott! Watch It Here!," 29 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bawdy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bawdy. Accessed 6 Mar. 2021.

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More Definitions for bawdy

bawdy

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of bawdy

: dealing with sex in a way that is meant to be funny

See the full definition for bawdy in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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