obscenity

ob·scen·i·ty | \ äb-ˈse-nə-tē

How to pronounce obscenity (audio)

, əb- also -ˈsē- \

plural obscenities

Definition of obscenity

1 : the quality or state of being obscene

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

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about obscenity

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Examples of obscenity in a Sentence

The author uses obscenity to make a point about the culture. the issue of whether obscenity is a fundamental part of rap music

Recent Examples on the Web Each could face six months to three years in prison if convicted of obscenity. — Sara Pagones, NOLA.com, "Priest recorded having group sex on altar of Pearl River church, police say; 3 arrested," 8 Oct. 2020 He is charged with four counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor. — Chris Mayhew, The Enquirer, "Sheriff: Oakley man arrested, on child porn charges was grooming girls across U.S.," 7 Oct. 2020 Yet another complaint about a verbal coincidence, involving the trace of a graver kind of obscenity, recently had serious consequences at the business school of the University of Southern California (USC). — The Economist, "Johnson The battle against racist language is too important to trivialise," 3 Oct. 2020 Recent speculation about nefarious campaigns at USPS and ICE miss something crucial about the everyday obscenity of our current system. — J.c. Pan, The New Republic, "America’s Conspiracies of Profit," 1 Oct. 2020 The members of 2 Live Crew charged with obscenity violations were later acquitted. — David Reamer, Anchorage Daily News, "A history of Anchorage vs. rap music," 20 Sep. 2020 Undercover cops had lurked at rehearsals, eager for evidence of obscenity. — Brian Dillon, The New York Review of Books, "Chaos and Cathode Rays," 17 Oct. 2019 The district attorney’s office later charged him with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle upon police, resisting officers with force, obscenity and simple assault. — Ramon Antonio Vargas | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, "Worker accused of masturbating in Tulane office sues university because campus police shoot him," 21 Sep. 2020 Its citizens have few political rights, and the ongoing Uighur genocide is an obscenity. — Jacob Silverman, The New Republic, "Trump’s Misguided, Jingoistic War Against TikTok," 21 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'obscenity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

24 Oct 2020

Cite this Entry

“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscenity. Accessed 27 Oct. 2020.

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More Definitions for obscenity

obscenity

noun

English Language Learners Definition of obscenity

: the quality or state of being obscene

: obscene words or actions

: an offensive word

See the full definition for obscenity in the English Language Learners Dictionary

obscenity

ob·scen·i·ty | \ äb-ˈse-nə-tē

, əb- \

plural obscenities

Kids Definition of obscenity

1 : the quality or state of being shocking to a person's sense of what is moral or decent

2 : something that is shocking to a person's sense of what is moral or decent

obscenity

ob·scen·i·ty | \ äb-ˈse-nə-tē

\

plural obscenities

Legal Definition of obscenity

1 : the quality or state of being obscene

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

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