as in sex
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Recent Examples of fornication
The Fifth Street School Apartments, at Dr. William Finlayson Street and West Christine Street, was a revolving door for dangerous activities: drug use, theft, non-tenants sleeping in the hallways, and even public fornication.
—
Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Having struck out with Nicholas, Laura is forced to return to her old tactics: impeding fornication.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Songs were also frequently flagged as dance music—while authorities viewed singing as having a proper place in praising God, dancing was totally forbidden as a gateway to fornication.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 9 May 2025
If the apparent maidservant was actually a man committing fornication that might lead to another servant’s falling pregnant, then Hall was a materially destabilizing influence in the community.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Cleon is in the throes of hot, sweaty fornication with his robot aid, Laura Birn's Eto, when a group of assassins infiltrate his quarters and attack.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 10 July 2023
Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Having struck out with Nicholas, Laura is forced to return to her old tactics: impeding fornication.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Songs were also frequently flagged as dance music—while authorities viewed singing as having a proper place in praising God, dancing was totally forbidden as a gateway to fornication.
—Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 9 May 2025
If the apparent maidservant was actually a man committing fornication that might lead to another servant’s falling pregnant, then Hall was a materially destabilizing influence in the community.
—Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2024
Cleon is in the throes of hot, sweaty fornication with his robot aid, Laura Birn's Eto, when a group of assassins infiltrate his quarters and attack.
—Nick Romano, EW.com, 10 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fornication
Noun
-
The findings, from 1,592 U.S. citizens of different ages, sexes, races and incomes, were collected between Dec. 20 and Dec. 22.—
Nicholas Rice,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
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On his first day in office, Mr. Trump signed an executive order that declared the federal government would recognize only two immutable sexes: male and female.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Berera was initially charged with committing a lewd act on a child and oral copulation of a person under 16, court records show, but those counts were dropped through the plea deal.—
Nate Gartrell,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Berera was initially charged with committing a lewd act on a child and oral copulation of a person under 16, court records show, but those counts were dropped through the plea deal.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
What this means for me, practically speaking, is that the director wants a close-up of my face as my character Joe is deep in dissociative reverie mid-coitus.—
Sophie Ansari,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
-
When coitus occurs, it’s scored by unctuous music.—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Common symptoms of a vaginal yeast infection include irritation, swelling and a thick white discharge, along with a burning sensation – especially during urination or intercourse.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
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Wilzig told the Miami Herald in a 2002 profile that intercourse and naked bodies were beautiful and natural, and no one should be embarrassed by talking about the topic.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In a new study, researchers documented seven cases of remoras, a fish known for suctioning itself onto rays—as well as sharks, dolphins, boats and even divers—plunging into manta rays' cloacal orifice, an opening used for pooping, peeing and mating.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
11 May 2026
-
Mating season generally begins in May, with peak mating in June.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Put another way, the three latest Brood X generation map perfectly to milestones in my life cycle: birth, coition, procreation.—
Ross Kenneth Urken,
Scientific American,
14 June 2021
-
But the course of the hunt itself is unnameable and uncontrollable, like coition.—
Roberto Calasso,
Harper's Magazine,
30 Mar. 2020
Noun
-
This arrangement might seem ill-suited for lovemaking, but surprisingly, the male simply reached across the barrier and got busy.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
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This is a broad category of misbehaviors, ranging from excessive public displays of affection to actual lovemaking on the plane.—
Christopher Elliott,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Magyar vows to restore democratic institutions, investigate alleged corruption under Orbán, repair relations with the European Union and reduce Hungarian dependency on Russia.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
After the papal audience, Fils-Aimé met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, and Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, the secretary for relations with states and international organizations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fornication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fornication. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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