lewd

adjective

ˈlüd How to pronounce lewd (audio)
Definition of lewdnext
1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society bystanders were shocked by the lewd behavior of the couple in the park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire a lewd 18th-century nobleman who left behind hundreds of erotic love letters

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent a nearby diner kept telling lewd jokes until we told him to shut up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 lewd Swalwell, 45, suspended his campaign for governor of California in April after multiple women accused him of inappropriate behavior ranging from sending lewd, unwanted messages to drugging, raping and choking them. — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 20 Aug. 2026 In his executive order, DeSantis noted the charges Caruso is facing, which include lewd or lascivious molestation, lewd or lascivious exhibition, kidnapping, child abuse causing mental injury, and luring or enticing a child. — Ana Maria Soler, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026 Lavandeira also defended her brother, who in the early aughts burst onto the internet’s celebrity culture and gossip scene with shocking headlines and often lewd doodles over celeb images. — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 But there is a real tenderness that’s thrown into the mix with the lewd banter and glass-half-empty outlook. — Alison Herman, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lewd
  1. obscene
  2. passionate
  3. suggestive
  4. pornographic
  5. hot
  6. spicy
  7. vulgar
  8. lascivious
Adjective
  • Last year, after signing a $132 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers following a trade, he was docked another $26,000 for fighting and making an obscene gesture.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There was a dog’s leg that had been sewn on near a man’s crotch in a way that seemed like an obscene visual pun.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • That’s why the defense of Taylor from inside these walls is so passionate among those who know him.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Hadder is passionate about supporting Boise’s local raptor population, and a student of the region’s history in bringing back birds of prey.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of passionate
Adjective
  • At the time, fans were quick to point out that the majority of the crew members seen in the clip were men, while Sweeney was sitting in a suggestive pose.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Messages in 2024 between Johnson and Duffey revealed the two men used suggestive language.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggestive
Adjective
  • Authorities say the girl was subsequently subjected to threats, emotional blackmail, surveillance and physical violence and forced to produce pornographic material and participate in online webcam sessions.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office said Ahlers had hundreds, and possibly thousands, of pornographic photos and videos of children on his hard drive.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pornographic
Adjective
  • Which way silverware should be placed in a dishwasher is the subject of hot debates.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Sep. 2026
  • When combined with a hot blanket of the humidity the city has endured throughout the summer, players could be forced to withdraw from their matches or push through, risking injury.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of hot
Adjective
  • Atlanta chef David Rose’s sriracha-honey barbecue ribs combine smoked baby back ribs with a sticky, sweet-and-spicy glaze and his 2-2-1 method for cooking tender ribs at home.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Many players show up for these RPGs looking for hilarious, dramatic, and spicy romantic relationships.
    — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of spicy
Adjective
  • Decide for yourself whether that’s a bold indicator of English football’s superiority over the rest of the world, or a revolting symbol of the bloated and vulgar behemoth that the game has become.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • However, recent scholarship posits that the structure was used as ordinary (rather than punitive) housing, and that the vulgar decor was in fact a distinguishing characteristic of the epoch.
    — Jim Greer, SPIN, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • When Demetrius Carl Davis was arrested in April 2022, he was charged with 32 felony counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act with a child younger than 14 years old.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
  • He was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 16 years old.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of lascivious

Browse Nearby Words

levying
lewd
lewdly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lewd. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of loath

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All