sometimes offensive
as in vice
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money prostitution is illegal in most states

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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 prostitution Last month, the mogul was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in July. Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025 The Heidi Fleiss Story takes place in 1993 Los Angeles, where a powerful young woman named Heidi Fleiss (Plaza) is arrested for running the largest high-end prostitution ring in the world. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 31 Oct. 2025 Combs was convicted of two counts of transportation for the purposes of prostitution after an eight-week trial in July. Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 30 Oct. 2025 Combs, 55, remained in custody at the facility after he was convicted on two felony counts of transportation to engage in prostitution in July. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostitution
harlotry
Noun
  • Within the slippery world of harlotry—where class can be transcended and humanity bought—relationships form that defy our historical assumptions about the bounded categories of human experience.
    Sarah Marshall, New Republic, 2 June 2017
  • That's how my job eventually descended into harlotry: through the endless cat-and-mouse game of porntrepreneurs subverting Google's anti-smut policies.
    Lucas Peterson, GQ, 22 May 2017

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Cite this Entry

“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostitution. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.

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