1
as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
the fraternity brothers indulged in shameless debauchery all weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the minister decried what he called the debauchery of today's society
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sensuality
excessive pursuit of fleshly pleasures
a night of drinking and debauchery at the gentleman's club
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 debauchery
Raw, sweaty, and steeped in debauchery, the track chronicles a spiral of booze, heartbreak, and nights lost in a haze of resistol fumes, all layered with his signature gritty rap flow.
—
Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Chefs rarely get swept up in the debauchery of Below Deck, but Bingham may be an exception.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
And not unlike that earlier film, this one takes its tale of debauchery and rectitude and reconciles everything with a fiery third act.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debauchery
Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Chefs rarely get swept up in the debauchery of Below Deck, but Bingham may be an exception.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2025
The ladies move closer to God through acts of disobedience, debauchery, and disgrace; by visiting seedy places and commingling with the disreputable.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
And not unlike that earlier film, this one takes its tale of debauchery and rectitude and reconciles everything with a fiery third act.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debauchery
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debauchery
Noun
-
Years of high inflation and financial mismanagement eroded middle-class wealth, while high-level corruption has empowered a handful of businessmen to enrich themselves.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
21 Jan. 2026
-
David Bainbridge was the opening witness in what is expected to be a multi-day preliminary hearing that will decide whether Price, 75, should stand trial in a public corruption case.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Take this eye cream—retinol, Indonesian ginger, and iris extract are an unexpected trio that prevent the degradation of and promote the creation of collagen, increase hyaluronic acid production, improve circulation, firm, and plump skin.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
14 Jan. 2026
-
But the ambiance impulse seems less about attention degradation than creating a magic circle around reading and deepening a sense of fantasy and escape.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Arnold Jerocki/Getty A public homage will take place at a nearby site for admirers of the woman whose image once symbolized France's postwar liberation and sensuality.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Brigitte Bardot, the French actor, style icon, and animal activist who fixated the world with her insouciant, smoky-eyed sensuality, has died aged 91.—
Isobel Thompson,
Vogue,
28 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
One celebrates the beauty and moral uplift of the Sabbath; the other denounces the immorality of the godless in the fiery manner of a tent-revival preacher.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Advised by Anne Boleyn and Thomas Cromwell, who sincerely believed in the Reformation, Henry started with accusations of corruption and immorality in the Church, then used intimidation and changes to the law to transfer all the wealth and land to himself.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The president is a man of low character, driven by greed, insecurity and revenge.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The themes of poverty, greed and love, that’s the part that the viewers are putting into their enjoyment of the movie.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
These are the words of someone determined not to repeat their father’s sins, someone who wants to be a little different than what a lot of the world might expect of a player with his unique brand of raw power and athleticism.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Except, apparently, among the Hoosiers who play football as if not playing football hard would be an unforgivable sin.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By the late 1960s, the counterculture generation spawned in California was becoming disillusioned with its own hedonism and in need of a reset.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The week ahead is perfect for romance, pleasure, updating your looks, and hedonism in all forms, so don’t let this week's energy go to waste.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Alarm clocks are a necessary evil for most of us, but don’t let an ugly one ruin your new sleek hotel aesthetic.—
Brittney Morgan,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Jan. 2026
-
On the contrary, what often works best are vague or utopian promises of deliverance, combined with an emotionally powerful depiction of the intolerable injustice and inescapable evils of the current regime.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debauchery.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debauchery. Accessed 21 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
