: sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry
also
: the statutory crime of such a relationship
Examples of incest in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Under the administration of President Barack Obama, the government did not pay for abortions for teens in custody except in cases of rape, incest or a threat to the woman's life.
—
Author: Ann E. Marimow, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Dec. 2017
Jones said the bill, which prohibited abortions after 20 weeks, mandated certain requirements be met to permit abortions after 20 weeks in the case of a medical emergency, rape or incest.
—Paul Gattis, AL.com, 2 Nov. 2017
Such role-playing can involve both age play, in which one partner pretends or both partners pretend to be an age other than their own, and incest fantasies.
—Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 1 Nov. 2017
No public subsidies can be used, except in cases that involve rape, incest, or preserving the life of the mother.
—Time, 6 Oct. 2017
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Author: Ann E. Marimow, Anchorage Daily News, 19 Dec. 2017
Jones said the bill, which prohibited abortions after 20 weeks, mandated certain requirements be met to permit abortions after 20 weeks in the case of a medical emergency, rape or incest.
—Paul Gattis, AL.com, 2 Nov. 2017
Such role-playing can involve both age play, in which one partner pretends or both partners pretend to be an age other than their own, and incest fantasies.
—Sophie Saint Thomas, Allure, 1 Nov. 2017
No public subsidies can be used, except in cases that involve rape, incest, or preserving the life of the mother.
—Time, 6 Oct. 2017
See All Example Sentences for incest
Cite this Entry
“Incest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incest. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
incest
noun
in·cest
ˈin-ˌsest 
: sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry
Medical Definition
incest
noun
in·cest
ˈin-ˌsest
: sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry
also
: the statutory crime of engaging in such sexual intercourse
Legal Definition
incest
noun
in·cest
ˈin-ˌsest
: sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that they are forbidden by law to marry
also
: the crime of engaging in such sexual intercourse
Etymology
Latin incestus sexual impurity, from incestus impure, from in- not + castus pure
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