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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Peck pleaded no contest to charges of committing a lewd act against a child and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Shania Russell, EW.com, 20 July 2025 After witnesses identified him as the man who made the gestures, he was arrested and booked into Santa Clara County jail on charges of contacting a minor with intent to commit a lewd act and annoying or molesting a child. Jason Green, Mercury News, 12 July 2025 Ye, who in recent years has used his social media pages to spew hate including antisemitic rants, posted on X earlier this year about his inappropriate workplace practices in numerous lewd posts mentioned in the complaint. Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025 But unlike those genre staples, this is a lewd, crude comedy about dorky teens who throw a 17th birthday party for a pal. EW.com, 9 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for lewd

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of lewd was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lewd. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

lewd

adjective
1
: showing interest in sex in a rude manner
lewd behavior
2
: indecent
lewd remarks
lewdly adverb
lewdness noun

Legal Definition

lewd

adjective
: involving or being sexual conduct that is considered indecent or offensive : licentious
convicted of lewd and lascivious assault upon a childNational Law Journal
lewdly adverb
lewdness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lewd

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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