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
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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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Alexander William Schecter, 26, was charged with kidnapping to commit another crime, first-degree residential robbery, two counts of forcible oral copulation and forcible rape, all of which are felonies, according to a news release shared by the DA's Office.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
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On Thursday, he was charged with one count of kidnapping to commit another crime, one count of first degree residential robbery, two counts of forcible oral copulation and one count of rape, according to the criminal complaint.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Apr. 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
-
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
-
With Tim, Martha hadn’t often come during intercourse.—
Cassandra Neyenesch,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Even amputated mating arms behaved the same way, responding to progesterone but not to other molecules.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Are octopuses selective in their mating?—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
2 Apr. 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
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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
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For families Little children are catered to with cots, high chairs, roll-away beds, family swimming time in the pool, and the guest relations team offers movie nights for children in the room, soft toys, games and baby-sitting.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
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Enjoy relations with friends, groups, partners, siblings and neighbors.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fornication.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fornication. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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