bawd

noun

ˈbȯd How to pronounce bawd (audio)
Definition of bawdnext
old-fashioned
as in prostitute
a woman who engages in sexual activities for money in the 17th century the port was a notorious hangout for Caribbean pirates and their bawds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of bawd Lewd women, bawds and adventuresses were not welcome in courts, nor were prostitutes or immoral characters. — Clement Knox, Time, 4 Feb. 2020 Two rival madams—based on real historical characters—are fighting each other for a customer base: earthy bawd Mrs. Margaret Wells and elegant, conniving Mrs. Lydia Quigley. — Viv Groskop, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawd
  1. prostitute
  2. hooker
Noun
  • The firm’s employees took Quaaludes, a sedative medication, like candy, hired prostitutes regularly, and held gambling sprees in Monte Carlo and Las Vegas.
    — Kalia Richardson, USA Today, 14 July 2026
  • Hundreds of men have been cited by the sheriff’s office in recent years for soliciting a prostitute.
    — Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Definition of prostitute
Noun
  • Ravutaumada responded with Fiji's third try, a simple overlap, to trail by a point but Wales managed the last quarter well and scored in a lineout drive to replacement hooker Ryan Elias and from scrum ball to center Eddie James.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • This kind of inclusivity would explain Glenn Close‘s appearance — as a visiting literary scholar — at just the right moment, as well as Penélope Cruz’s showstopping cameo as Nené, a singer-slash-hooker who schools Sebastián on the then-nascent form of the modern transgender movement.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 22 May 2026
Definition of hooker

Browse Nearby Words

baubles
bawd
bawdiness
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Cite this Entry

“Bawd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawd. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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