bawdy

adjective \ ˈbȯ-dē \

Updated on: 13 Apr 2018

Definition of bawdy

bawdier; bawdiest

1 : obscene, lewd

a bawdy comedian

2 : boisterously or humorously indecent

bawdy jokes

—

bawdily

play \ˈbȯ-də-lē\ adverb

—

bawdiness

play \ˈbȯ-dē-nəs\ noun

See bawdy defined for English-language learners

See bawdy defined for kids

Examples of bawdy in a Sentence

a bawdy film that is not appropriate for children
a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired

Recent Examples of bawdy from the Web

At first, players seemed to enjoy the bawdy ambience at Phoenix, but now the fans are starting to get a little too drunk and their comments a little too hateful.

— mike bianchi, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Memo to drunken, obnoxious golf fans: Just shut up!," 18 Mar. 2018
Sarah Silverman’s comedy is bawdy and brawny and often takes a sharp turn to vulgar to make a point.

— allison klein, Washington Post, "A sexist troll attacked Sarah Silverman. She responded by helping him with his problems.," 8 Jan. 2018
Hasty Pudding is known for bawdy comedic revues that feature an all-men cast in drag playing female characters, a longstanding tradition in the group, which says it was formed in 1795.

— editors, USA TODAY, "5 things you need to know Thursday," 25 Jan. 2018
What had originally startled them — the roughhewn energy and gaudy and bawdy street scenes — were soon realized in their artworks.

— gaile robinson, star-telegram, "Mueck's eerily lifelike sculptures return to Modern, contrast with works at Amon Carter," 16 Feb. 2018
Marie-Laure de Noailles was the epicenter of the avant-garde in early-20th-century Paris, a bawdy and daring muse and a patron to the most important artists.

— lisa vreeland, Town & Country, "The Return of the Fashion Eccentric," 6 Feb. 2018
As time went on there was more acceptance to put bawdy on stage, so the 1987 version was more risque.

— randall g. mielke, Aurora Beacon-News, "'Cabaret' gains new relevance in current political times," 25 Jan. 2018
Most are sacred texts, but some are deliciously secular, like the sometimes bawdy poems and songs of the Carmina Burana or the tales of Chaucer’s Canterbury pilgrims.

— helen castor, New York Times, "Illuminating the Past, One Precious Book at a Time," 19 Dec. 2017
Before Thursday, Hoffman described some of the allegations against him as taken out of context, explaining that on set the cast and crew are a sort of family and any bawdy behavior is intended to break the tension on long days of shooting.

— christie d'zurilla, latimes.com, "More women accuse Dustin Hoffman of sexual misconduct in the ’70s and ’80s," 15 Dec. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of bawdy

bawd + ¹-y

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1513

See Words from the same year

bawdy Synonyms

bawdy

noun

Definition of bawdy

: bawdry 2

Recent Examples of bawdy from the Web

Lawrence will readily admit to making a mistake or two, although her stories have more of a bawdy, good-time flavor.

— laura brown, Harper's BAZAAR, "Jennifer Lawrence: Truth and Beauty," 7 Apr. 2016
Arianda must switch back and forth from playing a bawdy, swearing wannabe actress to a 19th-century seductress, pull off a British accent and hold her own against Broadway charmer Hugh Dancy.

— kerry pieri, Harper's BAZAAR, "Venus in Fur on Broadway: A Star is Born," 9 Nov. 2011