voyeuristic

adjective

voy·​eur·​is·​tic ˌvwä-(ˌ)yər-ˈi-stik How to pronounce voyeuristic (audio) ˌvȯi-ər- How to pronounce voyeuristic (audio)
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a voyeur
voyeuristic drives
… confronting her beauty gave him a bad conscience and made him feel shamefully voyeuristicPhillip Roth
: relating to or derived from voyeurism
voyeuristic pleasure
Through the video surveillance system, Polly engages in voyeuristic eavesdropping.Judith Mayne
… to demonstrate that the voyeuristic thrill of watching a stripper ceases at the moment of nakedness.Mark Morris
voyeuristically adverb
In that film, the cameras voyeuristically followed actor Richard Gere as he worked out and dressed up. The Wall Street Journal

Examples of voyeuristic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web There are numerous laugh-out-loud moments in Saltburn, Emerald Fennell’s darkly comic and voyeuristic exploration of the British aristocracy being released on Friday by Amazon MGM Studios. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Nov. 2023 Throughout the film, the director plays the audience like an accordion, pushing buttons and pulling and squeezing us into feeling things — disgust, ironic laughter, confusion, voyeuristic guilt, genuine curiosity — like a master. Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 15 Nov. 2023 In situations that appear voyeuristic, the person is suspended, and if the behavior is repeated, they are banned, Lee says. Deidre Olsen, WIRED, 15 Nov. 2023 What began as a way of doing business during the pandemic has become the new voyeuristic evening entertainment during the big May and November sales. Carol Vogel, New York Times, 6 Nov. 2023 The voyeuristic approach to his subject matter is, of course, a basically hostile and contemptuous one. Stephen Birmingham, Town & Country, 10 Aug. 2023 Some true-crime narratives are voyeuristic, and turn murder or rape into entertainment. Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2023 The voyeuristic approach is apparent in his films, which never start out with scripts or even any sort of plan but merely evolve from having his actors get in front of a camera and do or say whatever comes into their heads. Stephen Birmingham, Town & Country, 10 Aug. 2023 Here's some more to know about the man who guides us through HBO's annual voyeuristic trip into NFL training camp. Evan Romano, Men's Health, 9 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'voyeuristic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of voyeuristic was in 1919

Dictionary Entries Near voyeuristic

Cite this Entry

“Voyeuristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/voyeuristic. Accessed 9 Dec. 2023.

Medical Definition

voyeuristic

adjective
voy·​eur·​is·​tic ˌvwä-(ˌ)yər-ˈis-tik How to pronounce voyeuristic (audio) ˌvȯi-ər- How to pronounce voyeuristic (audio)
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a voyeur
voyeuristic drives
voyeuristically adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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