as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire
a moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry
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Recent Examples of licentious
Indeed, Black women have historically been viewed by whites as unclean and licentious and therefore undeserving of protection.
—
Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
His strained, sandpaper-coarse timbre served as an ideal conduit for songs concerned with boisterous revelries, shady agreements, licentious intentions and musical pleasures.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Whereas The Swimming-Pool Library transpires over one London summer — the last licentious gasp before AIDS— and The Line of Beauty spans the Thatcher era, Hollinghurst has lately been expanding his temporal horizons.
—Sam Worley, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2024
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Ahmed is referring to the era in Tangier's history, beginning in the interwar period and peaking in the 1950s, when the city served as a licentious playground for a motley assortment of artists, socialites, and hedonists.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
His strained, sandpaper-coarse timbre served as an ideal conduit for songs concerned with boisterous revelries, shady agreements, licentious intentions and musical pleasures.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 25 May 2025
Whereas The Swimming-Pool Library transpires over one London summer — the last licentious gasp before AIDS— and The Line of Beauty spans the Thatcher era, Hollinghurst has lately been expanding his temporal horizons.
—Sam Worley, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2024
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Ahmed is referring to the era in Tangier's history, beginning in the interwar period and peaking in the 1950s, when the city served as a licentious playground for a motley assortment of artists, socialites, and hedonists.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licentious
Adjective
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With more than 33 billion plays and one of the most passionate fanbases on the Roblox platform, Grow a Garden is a game where players cultivate thriving gardens, trade crops, decorate worlds, and collaborate in seasonal events.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
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Both are impeccably made and performed and will have passionate supporters.—
Jenelle Riley,
Variety,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Tofu pudding with piping-hot dipping sauce.—
Mike Valerio,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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Offered by the slice only, the Milpitas exclusive is the True Italian, a New York thin-crust pizza topped with pesto, mozzarella, garlic, tomato, Romano cheese, oregano and garlic oil, with the option to add goat cheese, ricotta cheese and hot honey.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Timothy Scott Jaekel, 52, was arrested on seven counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts with a child younger than 14 years old.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Jordan Peter Mendez was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and a count of lewd or lascivious acts with a minor younger than 14, both felonies.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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King Princess talks the lustful, haunted anthems of 'Girl Violence' King Princess has had a remarkable 2025 thus far.—
Audrey Gibbs,
Nashville Tennessean,
30 Sep. 2025
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There is nothing quite so sluttish, apparently, as a lustful pistil.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Licentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licentious. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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