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
Joseph, 31, is facing two counts of lewd and lascivious behavior following an incident in 2020, which allegedly involved a 9-year-old girl.
—
Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
The student’s mother claims teachers and administrators at Oregon Trail Middle School placed CM’s right to use the bathroom over concerns about his lewd conduct.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Continue reading … POLITICS MIND IN THE GUTTER — More lewd posts surface from Dem candidate touting unusual behavior in bathrooms.
—FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Betty repeatedly left lewd messages on the newlywed couple’s answering machine, to the point that Dan threatened to file criminal contempt charges, The Times reported at the time.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lewd
Julia Moore, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
The student’s mother claims teachers and administrators at Oregon Trail Middle School placed CM’s right to use the bathroom over concerns about his lewd conduct.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2026
Continue reading … POLITICS MIND IN THE GUTTER — More lewd posts surface from Dem candidate touting unusual behavior in bathrooms.
—FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
Betty repeatedly left lewd messages on the newlywed couple’s answering machine, to the point that Dan threatened to file criminal contempt charges, The Times reported at the time.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lewd
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lewd
Adjective
-
It was seized by the post office (as Rosset had expected) and duly declared obscene by the postmaster of the city of New York, a man named Robert Christenberry.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Who says a man can’t appreciate the gleaming, obscene form of an Aston Martin supercar or the growl of its overpriced engine?—
Alex James Kane,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Bonner brought the bull market with him to CSUF, bringing his pressing, pestering and passionate style of play to a fanbase starved for success.—
Brian Robin,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
-
Madison Square Garden is set to be filled to the brim Monday night with passionate Knicks fans decked out in their orange and blue pride, but eyes may be on what two of the most powerful New Yorkers will be doing during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.—
Ivan Pereira,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
The messages between Johnson and Duffey in 2024 revealed the two men used suggestive language.—
Hema Sivanandam,
Mercury News,
10 June 2026
-
First, Apple breezed through a new feature in the cycle tracking app that warns users of patterns that might be suggestive perimenopause or an underlying health condition.—
Mario Aguilar,
STAT,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
There is plenty of pornographic decoration in contemporary popular culture, but very little of it is consequential.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
-
Authorities alleged that their tactics included intimidating the women, placing them under constant surveillance and forcing them to perform pornographic acts that were then shared on social media.—
Lynsey Eidell,
PEOPLE,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Volunteers cook a hot breakfast for up to 250 people each Monday, Wednesday and Saturday morning.—
Sharon Chin,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
The Spurs came out hot for the second consecutive game Wednesday, racing to a 41-22 lead by the end of the first quarter.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Culinary adventures in this city offer sweet, spicy, sour and salty flavors across famous dishes that can cost less than $5.—
Avni Trivedi,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
-
My first root beer felt like a spicy cola and a big secret I’d unraveled.—
Julie Lin,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Apparently some fans were using some vulgar language toward Brunson in Game 1.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Doolan also received several emails calling her a vulgar word that typically refers to women.—
Maven Navarro
June 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
California records show he was convicted of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14 in 2014 and released from prison in 2018.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
On Thursday, Billings was charged with an offense against a student by an authority figure and lewd and lascivious touching of certain minors.—
Milena Malaver,
Miami Herald,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lewd.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lewd. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
