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
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She was booked on allegations of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2026
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Samantha Josephine Watson, 41, of Eastvale, was booked at the Robert Presley Jail on Friday on suspicion of sending harmful material to a juvenile, oral copulation and digital penetration, according to a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
22 May 2026
Noun
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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
-
However, soy isoflavones didn’t appear to provide significant overall benefits for painful intercourse, hot flashes, night sweats, and psychological symptoms.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
22 May 2026
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Your Sex Drive in Your 60s and Beyond Close to 50% of women over the age of 60 suffer from vaginal dryness, decreased vaginal lubrication, pain during intercourse and trouble, or inability, to reach an orgasm.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Then rest is for beauty, and beauty is for mating.—
Taiye Selasi,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
Researchers from the University of Hawaii have also found that Olowalu in particular is a mating hub for tiger sharks, according to Hawaii News Now.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
24 May 2026
Noun
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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
-
The two wind up crossing paths again and hooking up much more intensely, in a sweaty and passionate bout of lovemaking that sets the stage for a true romance.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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In these numbers, Carter spares no detail in his approach to lovemaking.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, relations with those who are closest to you are warm and helpful.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
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As many as 14 San Diego police personnel converged on the scene, including a lieutenant, a sergeant, two detectives and a media relations officer, the plaintiff’s lawyers said.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fornication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fornication. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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