lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

1

a

: obscene, vulgar

lewd remarks

b

: sexually unchaste or licentious (see licentious sense 1)

lewd behavior

2

obsolete : evil, wicked

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun

Synonyms

• bawdy
• blue
• coarse
• crude
• dirty
• filthy
• foul
• gross
• gutter
• impure
• indecent
• lascivious
• locker-room
• nasty
• obscene
• pornographic
• porny
• profane
• raunchy
• ribald
• smutty
• stag
• trashy
• unprintable
• vulgar
• wanton
• X-rated

Examples of lewd in a Sentence

He made lewd remarks to the woman at the bar.

bystanders were shocked by the lewd behavior of the couple in the park

Recent Examples on the Web

In one instance, Jeremy was accused of committing a lewd act against a 15-year-old at a party in Santa Clarita. —James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023

King solicited a Snapchat user to take lewd photos of herself in exchange for money in early July, according to the charging document. —Mark Guarino, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2023

Authorities at the school in Upper Deerfield Township contacted the New Jersey State Police last Monday to report numerous anonymous tips about lewd social media posts by Impellizzeri, Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said in a news release. —Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2023

After a hiatus, the senators got back together in 2006, only to disband again a year later, following the arrest of the Idaho senator Larry Craig, who sang lead, for lewd conduct and solicitation in a men’s restroom. —Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023

He was first charged in May 2020 for a 2015 incident in which he was accused of committing a lewd act with a 13-year-old family friend. —Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 18 Oct. 2023

Chester Yang pleaded guilty to a count of forcible lewd acts on a child for the April 2017 crime and received additional time for having a prior strike and serious felony prior conviction. —City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Oct. 2023

That was when the assistant principal began aggressively pursuing her through unnecessary classroom visits and unwelcome calls, texts and lewd photographs, Doe alleged. —Michael Brice-Saddler, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2023

The lewd chants did make Victoria Beckham uncomfortable, actually. —Vulture, 5 Oct. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lewed vulgar, from Old English lǣwede laical, ignorant

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

1

: showing interest in sex in a rude manner

lewd behavior

2

: indecent

lewd remarks

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun

Legal Definition

lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

: involving or being sexual conduct that is considered indecent or offensive : licentious

convicted of lewd and lascivious assault upon a child

—National Law Journal

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun