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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 bawdy
That’s because the musical path D’Angelo was headed on was light-years away from bawdy lover-boy balladry.
—
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Hell’s Half-acre, the bawdy section of town, was thriving, the Texas Brewery opened in 1891, and Byer’s Opera House had brought burlesque to Cowtown.
—
Richard Selcer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
Keith Murphy,
VIBE.com,
12 Dec. 2025
Hell’s Half-acre, the bawdy section of town, was thriving, the Texas Brewery opened in 1891, and Byer’s Opera House had brought burlesque to Cowtown.
—
Richard Selcer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for bawdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawdy
Adjective
-
Yippies would turn up at a 1970 Blood, Sweat & Tears show at Madison Square Garden, carrying obscene banners outside and dumping manure by the front gate.
-
After shares rallied to a peak of $225 on June 16, a stunning 50 percent rise over their opening price, Musk officially became the world’s very-first trillionaire — an obscene hyper-capitalist milestone highlighting the tech oligarchy’s iron grip on society.
Adjective
-
One of Smarty Pants’ buttons has a poop symbol on it, and there a couple of suggestive turns of phrase.
-
The messages between Johnson and Duffey in 2024 revealed that the two men used suggestive language.
Adjective
-
In recent years, Trae Young has repeatedly tormented the Knicks at the famed Madison Square Garden, turning clutch shots and postgame showmanship into vulgar chants from New York fans.
-
This isn’t about the vulgar prices now being charged to get into the building and Celebrity Row.
Adjective
-
This sweet and spicy guacamole contains chunks of golden mango mixed with a combination of jalapeño peppers and habanero pepper purée, plus onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, and, of course, Hass variety avocados.
-
Even the sweet-and-spicy combinations showing up on menus this summer usually start with a base of garlic or ginger.
Adjective
-
Gibson asked for pornographic images of the minor, and sent photos of himself, according to court documents.
-
While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.
Adjective
-
Beulah picks up the story from there, spilling the colorful and ribald saga of how her family — originally named Sullivan, from Ireland — migrated west and got caught in the middle of the Texas revolution.
-
In contrast to this ribald directness, Kokopeli’s playsets feature characters who appear detached and disconnected.
Adjective
-
We’re used to nasty, hateful, and sometimes violent things being said about us and even about our family.
-
Tarik Skubal was nasty against the Yankees.
Adjective
-
After a hard foul and subsequent yellow card by Mohannad Abu Taha, Argentina was set up with a free kick just inches outside the 18-yard box.
-
And then in the third, borderline, foul-ball homer right there.
Cite this Entry
“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawdy. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
