debauchery

noun de·bauch·ery \ di-ˈbȯ-chə-rē , -chrē , -ˈbä- \

Updated on: 15 Apr 2018

Definition of debauchery

plural debaucheries

1 : extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures : behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral

… he was glad when others joined them, men and women; and they had more drink and spent the night in wild rioting and debauchery.
—Upton Sinclair

… Matthew had continued his debaucheries, having chartered a private plane for himself and a bunch of fringe celebrities to go to Corfu for a week of hard-core partying.
—Evgenia Peretz

2 archaic : seduction from virtue or duty

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Examples of debauchery in a Sentence

Like St. Augustine carousing his student days away in fourth-century Carthage, [Thomas] Merton had succumbed to such physical and intellectual debaucheries as New York offered a Columbia undergraduate in the 1930's: wine, women and some Communist fellow-traveling. —Mark Silk, New York Times Book Review, 30 Mar. 1986
… they regard all music and everything pleasant as forms of debauchery, and will not confess to any knowledge or practice unless you can convince them that you are as abandoned a profligate as themselves. —Bernard Shaw, letter, 25 Nov. 1948
I have seen a dozen boys stretched on the grass within a circumference of fifty feet, all of them smoking cigarettes and reading dime novels. It was a scene of inspiring debauchery, even to the most craven spectator. —H. L. Mencken, Happy Days, 1940
He later regretted the debauchery of his youth.
He recalled the evening's debaucheries with regret.

Recent Examples of debauchery from the Web

Don't expect any debauchery at Prince Harry's bachelor party.

— amy mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "Prince Harry's Bachelor Party: Everything You Need to Know," 31 Mar. 2018
This progress, however, only further demonstrates how the revelry and debauchery of Carnival does not have an inherent political bent.

— frederick staidum jr., The Root, "Robert E. Lee Beads Bring Mardi Gras’ Historic Racism Full Circle," 17 Feb. 2018
Not long after the wedding gown of bride-to-be Becky (Samantha Vesco, appearing late in the going) ends up being a casualty of the debauchery, two outsiders enter the fray.

— david coddon, sandiegouniontribune.com, "'Bachelorette,' with its high-energy cast, a dark comedy about women behaving badly," 19 Mar. 2018
The infamous debauchery on the holiday allows characters to get a little wasted and let loose.

— kelly lawler, USA TODAY, "5 St. Patrick's Day-themed TV episodes to binge-watch this weekend," 17 Mar. 2018
Nothing, though — no rare mountain cheese, no spa treatment — compared to the novelty and thrilling debauchery of not reading the news.

— New York Times, "In Search of Lost Time in Europe’s Sanatoriums," 18 Feb. 2018
As Houstonians gear up for Galveston's annual Mardi Gras celebration, the Galveston Police Department (GPD) is also preparing for debauchery and trouble that comes with the party.

— daniela sternitzky-di napoli, Houston Chronicle, "What to know before partying at Galveston's Mardi Gras celebration," 31 Jan. 2018
Bad Bunny, a poster boy for trap music en Español, presumably took great heed to Residente's words, and the two Puerto Rican MCs connected for the first time over a night of drunken debauchery.

— marjua estevez, Billboard, "Bad Bunny Used Liquid Courage to Convince Residente to Record a Trap Song," 4 Jan. 2018
Built in 1927, Hefner purchased the home in 1971, after which followed decades of debauchery, celebrity parties, and house bunnies trailed by reality TV cameras.

— danielle fox, ELLE Decor, "The Playboy Mansion Won’t Be Destroyed Despite Not Receiving Landmark Status," 7 Mar. 2018

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

History and Use of debauchery

Some people come to find debauchery through the Bible, in a manner of speaking.

In a number of modern versions the word may be found in Ephesians 5:18, as in The New International Version's translation: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit....” The Greek word that is translated here as debauchery may be interpreted in many different ways: the King James Version uses excess, whereas the American Standard Version uses riot.

Debauchery always involves behavior—especially sexual behavior or behavior involving alcohol or drugs—that some find morally objectionable. In biblical and spiritual contexts, the word debauchery is deadly serious, but in other situations the word often has a playful connotation, as when a group of friends goes out for a "night of debauchery."

Debauchery began to be used in English in the beginning of the 17th century, and is formed from the earlier word debauch. As a verb debauch initially had the meaning of "to lead astray," especially when referring to leading someone away from another person to whom he or she has an allegiance or duty. In its earliest use as a noun debauch was often used to refer to an instance of eating or drinking too much.