CONCUPISCENCE Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

concupiscence

noun

kän-ˈkyü-pə-sən(t)s

Definition of concupiscence

as in desire

sexual appetite the Puritans did not condemn concupiscence but rather the satisfaction of it in ways they deemed illicit

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in lustfulness

intense sexual desire according to the church theologian St. Augustine, concupiscence is a consequence of original sin

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frigidity

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 concupiscence Through the eyes of a scammer, America is a nation of satyrs and harlots, our concupiscence interrupted only by occasional trips to Walmart or the gas station. — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Gregory of Nyssa, contemplating the Christian horror of concupiscence, once theorized that had not Adam and Eve sinned, the two of them would have remained virgins and reproduced in whatever way angels did. — David Harsanyi, National Review, 8 June 2023

Recent Examples of Synonyms for concupiscence

Noun

All the climate stories in this show are part of the desire to be authentic, but also speak to what our audiences are living through.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Younger consumers' enthusiasm for fall, a desire to plan ahead and retailers' efforts to extend seasonal spending may all be helping drive the shift.

— Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of desire

Noun

More midlife women are logging on in search of everything from lasting love to a little lust.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 21 Aug. 2026
Like with Channel Orange, Ocean is narrating life from 10,000 feet up, able to communicate pain and lust and longing with a kind of precision that, if nothing else, should prove how singular the human spirit truly is.

— Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of lust

Noun

Leo Tolstoy’s masterful epic—or one of them, at least—is about one woman’s scandals, passions, and ultimate tragedy, all set amid the tumult of late-19th century Russia.

— Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026
Reading gains remain minimal even though effective teaching of foundational skills could turn results around quickly, that is my professional passion.

— Olivia Young, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of passion

Browse Nearby Words

concubines

concupiscence

concupiscent

See all Nearby Words

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Style

“Concupiscence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/concupiscence. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of concupiscence

noun

Example Sentences

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