1
as in pornographic
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
obscene gestures are totally inappropriate in the workplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
that ugly new store is really an obscene bit of architecture
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscene
To authenticate Trump's note and the obscene drawing that accompanied it, Journal reporters claim to have seen the album and talked to people knowledgeable about it.
—
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 9 Aug. 2025
The obscene objects have been thrown during at least six WNBA games over the last week and a half.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
—Meg Leta Jones, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscene
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Aug. 2025
Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 9 Aug. 2025
The obscene objects have been thrown during at least six WNBA games over the last week and a half.
—Paulina Dedaj, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2025
The law requires pornographic websites to verify users’ ages – for example by making users scan and upload their driver’s license – before granting access to content that is deemed obscene for minors but not adults.
—Meg Leta Jones, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscene
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscene
Adjective
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One of the guests makes a disgusting joke involving the boat and lubricant.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
-
Leftovers on a plate are more disgusting than leftovers in a pot, and leftovers on someone else’s plate more disgusting still.—
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As deadly wildfires raged across Southern California in January, a Los Angeles city official lamented to the city council and others how they were forced to listen to hateful, vulgar language from some members of the public.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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Her choice to respond by telling me to 'shut the f*** up' and to 'calm my p*****' was vulgar, dismissive and escalated the issue entirely.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This obviously created some hard feelings and things got very ugly.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Aug. 2025
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The stan fighting quickly turned ugly; a fan posted a racist meme of Huda as the police officer who murdered George Floyd, with Olandria’s face pasted on Floyd’s.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The products of pyrolysis are biochar, the carbon skeleton of the organic matter, gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane, and liquids that, if not condensed into a biofuel, form a sticky tar that can foul equipment.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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The plant will be able to pull 35 million gallons per day of tainted water out of the Tijuana River, preventing even more pollution from reaching our waterways and reducing the foul odors that come along with it.—
Lee Zeldin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Don’t rely on an aesthetic that most people can easily see is awful.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
23 Aug. 2025
-
Traveling down a dirt road in the park, the men heard the awful sound of a tire on the RV going flat.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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For most people who contract the virus, symptoms resemble those of a nasty cold and include a runny nose, aches, sore throat, congestion and maybe a fever.—
Beth Warren,
The Tennessean,
23 Aug. 2025
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The 37-year-old plays Emilia Harcourt, an agent from the lack ops squad, A.R.G.U.S., who immediately shows off her skills in the season 2 premiere episode beating up men three times her size in a nasty bar brawl.—
Colleen Kratofil,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The brazen and aggressive manhandling of Senator Padilla by the Trump administration is a sickening disgrace.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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The practice is one of a sickening array of battlefield mistreatments recorded on video either by Ukrainian surveillance drones or Russian servicemen and then circulated on social media.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation's largest cities, run by Democrats, with Black mayors and majority-minority populations, as dangerous and filthy.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Aug. 2025
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While the exterior appears to be filthy, images from inside appear to show a white substance covering the steering wheel, dashboard, center console and other parts of the interior.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscene.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscene. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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