as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
paintings of nude figures are artistic, not indecent
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Recent Examples of indecent
That same year Yarrow pleaded guilty to taking indecent liberties with a 14-year-old girl who had come to his hotel room with her older sister to ask for autographs.
—
CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
In one of the article’s scenes, a Catholic priest accused of indecent offenses is described being led down a street while a crowd shouts insults at him.
—Thomas Meaney, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Orange Beach has a vulgarity ordinance on the books, which was enacted about a decade ago amid concerns about vulgar or indecent T-shirts and other merchandise sold at souvenir stores.
—al, 20 Jan. 2023
Because there are more good people than indecent ones.
—Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for indecent
CBS News, 7 Jan. 2025
In one of the article’s scenes, a Catholic priest accused of indecent offenses is described being led down a street while a crowd shouts insults at him.
—Thomas Meaney, The New Yorker, 25 Nov. 2024
Orange Beach has a vulgarity ordinance on the books, which was enacted about a decade ago amid concerns about vulgar or indecent T-shirts and other merchandise sold at souvenir stores.
—al, 20 Jan. 2023
Because there are more good people than indecent ones.
—Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for indecent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indecent
Adjective
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The use of obscene or profane language, personal attack, libel, slander, defamation, physical violence or the threat thereof, as determined by the presiding officer, shall constitute a disturbing a lawful meeting.—
Sharon Coolidge,
The Enquirer,
3 July 2025
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Meanwhile, the Astors, who had amassed a nearly obscene amount of real estate in New York City, became the country’s first multimillionaires by smuggling opium.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
3 July 2025
Adjective
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Nan’s rebellion was never loud or vulgar but always quietly confident and effortlessly elegant.—
Felicity Carter,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
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The comics were often dismissed as a vulgar form, but the bad joke of our superhero-movie culture is that most of it is a vulgarization of the comics.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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By the time Wood, the former Padres prospect who went to Washington in 2022 in the trade for Juan Soto, hit a three-run homer that clanged off the right field foul pole in the eighth inning to put the almost-final touch on the Nationals’ 10-6 victory, there was no real overt reaction.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 June 2025
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Your husband is foul for not calling out her garbage behavior.—
Virginia Chamlee,
People.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
Her somewhat implausible problem is that her bad feelings—her irritation, her boredom—never register as such because of her beauty, her wealth, and her pedigree; so great is her beauty that even her nastiest moods feel like a sunny glow to others.—
Claire Jarvis,
New Yorker,
8 July 2025
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But use kind humor, not nasty or deprecating humor.—
Davia Temin,
Forbes.com,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Indecent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indecent. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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