1
as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene
the song couldn't be performed on the air due to the obscenity of the lyrics
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
uttered a loud obscenity when he dropped the hammer on his toe
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 obscenity
Boone yelled a few obscenities and mocked Rehak making the call before heading into the clubhouse for the rest of the game.
—
Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Seated near a young child, Oakley allegedly yelled obscenities at security guards and partook in other disruptive behavior.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 June 2025
Ōshima requested that the high court explain their definition of obscenity, but no reply was forthcoming, and the charges were dropped.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 May 2025
Last Friday, the 31-year-old country star stopped her concert at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, to chastise fans who were yelling obscenities about the 39-year-old Australian singer.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Chris Kirschner, New York Times, 14 June 2025
Seated near a young child, Oakley allegedly yelled obscenities at security guards and partook in other disruptive behavior.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 9 June 2025
Ōshima requested that the high court explain their definition of obscenity, but no reply was forthcoming, and the charges were dropped.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 14 May 2025
Last Friday, the 31-year-old country star stopped her concert at the Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida, to chastise fans who were yelling obscenities about the 39-year-old Australian singer.
—Ashley Hume, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscenity
Noun
-
Higher courts often interpret whether cases fall under the protections of the First Amendment. Freedom of speech, including vulgarity, is common in such cases.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
16 June 2025
-
The juxtaposition of popular art’s messy vulgarity with the pristine aspirations of high art is surprisingly uninvolving.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
Noun
-
Ancient 'pharaoh's curse' fungus shows promise in killing cancer cells.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2025
-
The song breaks Booth's life-defining generational curse.—
Marcus K. Dowling,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
Bonus: For every 100ml bottle sold, Omorovicza donates 5% to Water.org, supporting global access to safe water. Jones Road Miracle Balm, $40 Women over 50 swear by this award-winning, Bobbi Brown-founded brand for its nourishing and hydrating qualities.—
Kristen Philipkoski,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
The word was forbidden in their household and treated like a swear.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
In a rambling screed of nearly eight minutes, the caller unloaded a fusillade of profanities.—
John Tuohy,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
-
The city’s agreement with Clear Channel and Outfront Foster has similar terms, including several prohibitions such as no motion, no illumination between midnight and 6 a.m., and no violence, profanity, adult goods or services, or political and religious content.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
18 June 2025
Noun
-
The removal of the language in the final Senate bill is a welcome relief, confirming that entity type should not dictate whether state and local taxes are deductible.—
Lynn Mucenski Keck,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
Prevost, who was co-valedictorian and yearbook editor among other accolades, had a reputation for being a good person to turn to for help with homework, especially math or languages.—
Belinda Luscombe,
Time,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
As the Oxford English Dictionary notes, the expression not hardly is considered a vulgarism.—
NR Editors,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2020
-
The British cringed over new American accents, coinages and vulgarisms.—
Time,
Time,
11 June 2019
Noun
-
There’s a risk of indecency, certainly, but the boundary is subjective, and Bayern smashing 10 past Auckland was merely them completing a full day’s work.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
-
Rodriguez was taken into custody without incident and transported to police headquarters where he was charged with breach of peace and public indecency.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
15 June 2025
Noun
-
Robert Rhoads, Oakland Park Politicians and vulgarities Your front-page article on the use of expletives by U.S.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
7 July 2025
-
There’s nothing better than being straight and just kicking the (expletive) out of these songs.—
Mars Salazar,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscenity. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share