obscene

adjective

ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn 

əb-

1

: disgusting to the senses : repulsive

2

a

: abhorrent to morality or virtue

specifically : designed to incite to lust or depravity

… the dance often becomes flagrantly obscene and definitely provocative …

—Margaret Mead

b

: containing or being language regarded as taboo in polite usage

obscene lyrics

obscene literature

c

: repulsive by reason of crass disregard of moral or ethical principles

an obscene misuse of power

d

: so excessive as to be offensive

obscene wealth

obscene waste

obscenely adverb

Synonyms

• pornographic
• vulgar
• foul
• nasty
• filthy
• gross
• dirty

Choose the Right Synonym for obscene

coarse, vulgar, gross, obscene, ribald mean offensive to good taste or morals.

coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

Examples of obscene in a Sentence

He was accused of making obscene phone calls.

He made an obscene gesture at the driver who cut him off.

The company's executives earn obscene salaries.

He spends an obscene amount of money on clothes.

Recent Examples on the Web

The couple quickly began receiving death threats and obscene phone calls. —Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025

In addition to hazing and assault, the lawsuit also alleged several Title IX violations and said the defendants committed several other offenses including false imprisonment, stalking, child pornography, and distributing lewd and obscene materials. —Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025

Banners or signs may not be commercial in nature or obscene, or cause any disturbance to other fans. —Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 2 Sep. 2025

That’s when Talbot drove his vehicle at about 15 miles per hour and struck the man while making an obscene gesture, according to court documents. —Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 26 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "offensively indecent," borrowed from Latin obscēnus, obscaenus "ill-omened, unpropitious, evoking disgust, loathsome, indecent, lewd," of uncertain origin

Note: M. de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008), following a suggestion by Ernout and Meillet, connects obscaenus (if this was the earliest form) with scaevus "left, on the left-hand side, inauspicious," and proposes an original *ob-skai-no- "coming from the left, unpropitious," from Indo-European *skeh₂i- "in shadow."

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for obscene

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• amine
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between

Kids Definition

obscene

adjective

ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn 

əb-

1

: repulsive, disgusting

2

: very shocking to one's sense of what is moral or decent

obscenely adverb

Legal Definition

obscene

adjective

ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn 

: extremely or deeply offensive according to contemporary community standards of morality or decency see also Roth v. United States

Note: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that obscene applies to materials that appeal predominantly to a prurient interest in sexual conduct, depict or describe sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Material or expression deemed obscene by the court is not protected by the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Etymology

Middle French, from Latin obscenus, obscaenus indecent, lewd