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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obscenity
Morgan’s subject, Margaret Anderson, was the first person to publish portions of James Joyce’s Ulysses in the United States—and was convicted on obscenity charges as a result.
—
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.
—Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register, Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly and others screaming such obscenities as parishioners enter and exit the sanctuary has culminated in the parish’s requests for police escorts.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
That has given the agency the legal ability to regulate such things as indecency and obscenity, as well as commercials in children’s programming.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 23 Jan. 2026
Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.
—Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register, Arkansas Online, 22 Jan. 2026
Kelly and others screaming such obscenities as parishioners enter and exit the sanctuary has culminated in the parish’s requests for police escorts.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
That has given the agency the legal ability to regulate such things as indecency and obscenity, as well as commercials in children’s programming.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obscenity
Noun
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Hungerstone is a delicious tribute to the inherent horrors of womanhood and the desperate and exquisite vulgarity of desire.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
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The production is known for its humor as much as its vulgarity, and on Thursday night, the Out Front Theatre Company is raising the curtain on the off-Broadway production.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In the preview, it was mentioned that Leon has something called the Umbrella curse.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
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In the 2002 comedy, McAdams plays a catty teen who's turned into, yep, Saturday Night Live alum Schneider, via a curse.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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He is charged with open and lewd grossness.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
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In fact, plenty of other things in your home surpass the toilet in terms of grossness.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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If accumulation is the issue, Giaquinto swears by the five-second and five-year rules.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
14 Jan. 2026
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In both The Wire and 25th Hour, Whitlock uttered his catchphrase swear.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The other funnymen of the time—Milton Berle with his lewd suggestiveness, Jackie Gleason with his baleful roar—did the same shtick over and over.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Wright also said a teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a social media post circulated of the educator displaying protest signs -- which included profanity -- while on campus.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
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Public spaces are routinely polluted by blaring music packed with profanity and racial slurs, and no one thinks twice about it.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
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There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Each class is a one- hour adventure of hearing and speaking another language.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Jan. 2026
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Its sequel Dhurandhar 2 is scheduled for theatrical release March 19, 2026, in five languages — Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam — expanding significantly beyond the original's Hindi-only strategy.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obscenity. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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