harlotry

noun

ˈhär-lə-trē How to pronounce harlotry (audio)
Definition of harlotrynext
disapproving
as in prostitution
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money a city that in biblical times was infamous for licentiousness and harlotry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 harlotry In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing. — Time, 24 Nov. 2025 Within the slippery world of harlotry—where class can be transcended and humanity bought—relationships form that defy our historical assumptions about the bounded categories of human experience. — Sarah Marshall, New Republic, 2 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for harlotry
prostitution
Noun
  • In 2008, Epstein avoided federal charges by pleading guilty to state charges of procuring a minor for prostitution and soliciting prostitution.
    — Abby Ellin, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026
  • One study found that in serial murder cases involving only female victims, the proportion involving women in prostitution jumped from 16% in the 1970s to 69% in the 2000s.
    — Judy Harris Kluger, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of prostitution

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harlotries
harlotry
harm
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Cite this Entry

“Harlotry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/harlotry. Accessed 30 Jul. 2026.

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