as in warm
formal + usually disapproving
having or showing too much interest in sex
He took a prurient interest in their personal life. a book that appealed to the prurient curiosity of its readers
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar 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 prurient
And yet this prurient curiosity also threatened the delicate equilibrium between devout Mormonism and hot-mom content that the group’s women were attempting to maintain.
—
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2024
Traditionally, these sorts of pictures have allowed producers to peddle items of prurient interest under cover of edification, while maintaining an attitude of moral superiority that would have made little sense to the people the show is about.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2024
In the decades that followed, the media took a similarly prurient tack in its coverage of women’s competitive swimming.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
But beyond it, Morgan sketches a real Manhattan ruled by prurient and destructive masculine appetites, from subway tunnels occupied by ad hoc homeless communities to office towers where the city’s most powerful residents impose their wills on millions of fellow New Yorkers.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 31 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2024
Traditionally, these sorts of pictures have allowed producers to peddle items of prurient interest under cover of edification, while maintaining an attitude of moral superiority that would have made little sense to the people the show is about.
—Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2024
In the decades that followed, the media took a similarly prurient tack in its coverage of women’s competitive swimming.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
But beyond it, Morgan sketches a real Manhattan ruled by prurient and destructive masculine appetites, from subway tunnels occupied by ad hoc homeless communities to office towers where the city’s most powerful residents impose their wills on millions of fellow New Yorkers.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 31 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prurient
Adjective
-
Garages can be much warmer than the rest of homes due to poor insulation.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
29 July 2025
-
Since the 1950s, average temperatures in July have trended roughly 2.7 degrees warmer, according to the weather service.—
Joyce Orlando,
The Tennessean,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
But much of what’s popping up on Substack is appealingly specific, the kind of stuff that’s unpublishable elsewhere.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
-
Most of my writing energy went into composing my vast unpublishable novels, one and then another.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
22 Aug. 2024
Adjective
-
Popeyes Offers for Popeyes reward members include a free six-piece purchase with any $5 purchase and free six-piece spicy bone-in wings with the purchase of any wing order.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
-
That's right — after a full season of Hot Topics, spicy cohost clashes, high-profile political guests, and even courting pointed responses from the White House, The View talk show stars have gone off the air for the year.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Lawsuit alleges 'obscene' government overreach Longo's lawsuit, filed in Chemung County, New York, names the county, the city of Elmira and several DEC officers as defendants.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
-
The court acknowledged that protecting minors from material that would be considered obscene from their perspective was a compelling government interest.—
Noah Feldman,
Mercury News,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
Lopez has a conviction for lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14 in Norwalk, California. 5.—
Brooke Taylor,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
-
Dance with a big, lascivious drag queen and post it.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
The juvenile in Canada was charged with indecent communications, uttering threats, public mischief and mischief over $5,000.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Cowan was arrested in August 2011 and charged with Daniel’s murder, indecent treatment and interfering with a corpse, the report states.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Donald Trump sued Dow Jones, News Corp, Rupert Murdoch and two Wall Street Journal reporters on Friday over an explosive report that the president wrote a 2003 birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein that contained suggestive language.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
18 July 2025
-
As the night came to a close, Jonathon was walking the Golden ladies to their bedrooms when April caught him off guard with a suggestive comment.—
Liza Esquibias,
People.com,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
Indeed, the trio looked filthy, and one even had a red, watery eye.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 July 2025
-
Sharp has long been one of New York’s filthiest comedians.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prurient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prurient. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share