1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a bawdy limerick that mischievous storytellers love to recite
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bawdy
Australian playwright Tony McNamara has turned his side hustle as a screenwriter into a blessing for Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things, The Favourite), and viewers of The Great, his bawdy historical farce for Hulu, can attest to his love of layered, lacerating insults.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
American Pie is both funnier and bawdier than Porky's, though that 1981 romp gets points for Kim Cattrall's outrageous orgasm scene.
—Michelle Kung, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Nettie Jones’ Fish Tales, recently reissued from FSG, is riotous, bawdy, horny, alarming, funny, gross, and frank.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Raitt has a mischievous, bawdy sense of humor.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Aug. 2025
American Pie is both funnier and bawdier than Porky's, though that 1981 romp gets points for Kim Cattrall's outrageous orgasm scene.
—Michelle Kung, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
Nettie Jones’ Fish Tales, recently reissued from FSG, is riotous, bawdy, horny, alarming, funny, gross, and frank.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Raitt has a mischievous, bawdy sense of humor.
—Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawdy
Adjective
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Not only are hospital CEOs paid obscene amounts of money and the hospitals are sitting on fat cash balances, but NewYork–Presbyterian is guilty of something even more grotesque.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.—
Josh Boak,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That sounds like something a premium TV service and its subscribers could keep a good, heavily suggestive grip on for at least 10 years.—
Erik Adams,
The Atlantic,
18 Jan. 2026
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The agents’ demand that Good exit her vehicle is suggestive of an intent to take her into custody.—
Dakin Andone,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Although the Ripken card launched many conspiracy theories as to whether the inclusion of its vulgar phrase was truly a mistake or a Fleer marketing ploy, there is a long history of errors making it through quality control in sports card production.—
Tyler Holzhammer,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
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The joke swap during last year's Christmas episode went to some particularly jaw-dropping places after Che made Jost read a vulgar joke about Johansson.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
21 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Entrees at The Gibson include short rib, salmon, spicy tagliatelle with shrimp and a pork chop.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Like most sushi restaurants in the city, there is spicy tuna and crispy rice on the menu, but this one is really good.—
Jocelyn Silver,
Vogue,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The dangers of some using modern technology to render false, realistic pornographic depictions of real individuals is just one of many concerns people are having in the age of artificial intelligence.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
23 Jan. 2026
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The legislation would allow individuals whose likeness has been used by AI to generate pornographic photos and videos without their consent to sue those responsible for generating or disseminating the content for upward of $150,000.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Some thought that Kubrick’s adaptation of Thackeray should have been more like Tony Richardson’s Best Picture–winning 1963 Henry Fielding adaptation Tom Jones — earthy, ribald, comic.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
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Over the years, the notoriously ribald Stern has interviewed hundreds of actors, comedians, music artists, athletes, politicians and more on his show.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Microsoft took months to fix Remote Desktop disconnection issues, then shipped a Windows Update that wiped out Copilot, and released updates that duplicated the Task Manager and created a nasty system recovery bug.—
Tom Warren,
The Verge,
29 Jan. 2026
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Those might have increased here because of weak data, like the nasty drop in consumer confidence yesterday, or because of the expectation a new Fed chair will be more dovish.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Gamers will know Brok as the beloved weapons dealer with an unrivaled artistry for creative, foul-mouthed curses.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
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For starters, 50-foot foul poles were added at each end of the field and work was done in both bullpens.—
Danny Davis,
Austin American Statesman,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawdy. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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