obscenity

noun

ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈse-nə-tē 

əb-,

 also  -ˈsē-

plural obscenities

1

: the quality or state of being obscene

2

: something (such as an utterance or act) that is obscene

Synonyms

• bawdiness
• blueness
• coarseness
• crudeness
• crudity
• dirt
• dirtiness
• filth
• filthiness
• foulness
• grossness
• impureness
• impurity
• indecency
• lasciviousness
• lewdness
• nastiness
• profanity
• raunch
• raunchiness
• ribaldry
• smut
• smuttiness
• vulgarity
• wantonness

Examples of obscenity in a Sentence

The author uses obscenity to make a point about the culture.

the song couldn't be performed on the air due to the obscenity of the lyrics

Recent Examples on the Web

The hip-hop stars of Coogler’s youth like NWA, Ice-T, 2 Live Crew, and Too Short were pursued by the government, accused of promoting obscenity and violence. —Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2025

Children do not have a right to access alcohol, tobacco, drugs, firearms, automobiles, pornography, obscenity or any other dangerous material and public libraries have no obligation to provide it to them. —Opinion Staff, Oc Register, 27 May 2025

Inevitably, the film was immediately banned in Japan, but a book containing the film’s script and a dozen stills — in an echo of the case made in Italy about Bernardo Bertolucci’s Last Tango in Paris — was tried for obscenity. —Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 May 2025

Such was the case this past weekend, as the Bronx faithful showered the $765-million man with deafening boos, taunts and obscenities. —Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 19 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French obscenité "indecent words or images," borrowed from Latin obscēnitāt-, obscēnitās (obscaenitāt-, obscaenitās) "indecency, indecent language or behavior," from obscēnus, obscaenus "ill-omened, unpropitious, evoking disgust, indecent, lewd" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at obscene

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing obscenity

• anti-obscenity

Rhymes for obscenity

• amenity
• serenity
• lenity

Kids Definition

obscenity

noun

ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈsen-ət-ē 

əb-

plural obscenities

1

: the quality or state of being obscene

2

: something that is obscene

Legal Definition

obscenity

noun

ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈse-nə-tē 

plural obscenities

1

: the quality or state of being obscene

2

: something (as an utterance or act) that is obscene

also : obscene material