as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene
audience members were offended by the raunchiness of the jokes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 raunchiness
There’s also a love triangle involving Bull, Honey, and a snooty Borzoi (Beck Bennett) which is meant to gird all of the self-conscious raunchiness with rom-com sweetness, and somehow makes the whole affair feel even more phony and half-baked.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for raunchiness
Noun
-
It is hoped that political ad campaigns would aim to lessen the meanness and divisiveness and vulgarity that have damaged our democracy.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Former President Richard Nixon proved himself no slouch in the vulgarity department after reaching the White House in 1969.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
If an exclamation point only signified gore and grossness, this gothic rock opera would more than qualify.—
Rachel Simon,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The characters’ propensity for ugly faces, silliness and a bit of grossness too, stems from the portrayals of girlhood and young womanhood that appeal to them.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But as the film quietly signals, a society’s obscenities are not aberrations, only parts of an ugly chapter in a long history.—
Michael Snyder,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Mason’s film, however, went deeper than its premise might suggest; alongside the story of Barry’s persecution on obscenity charges by Ronald Reagan’s FBI, the doc also offered a chilling reminder of the lethal effects of the 1980s AIDS crisis.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the heavy central theme of chronic illness, there’s a delicious bawdiness to Will There Ever Be Another You, a vulgar juvenilia evoking graffiti-tag genitals or the ding dong ditch scene from Billy Madison.—
Eric Olson
September 23,
Literary Hub,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The term plant texture refers to the fineness or coarseness, roughness or smoothness, heaviness or lightness of a particular plant.—
David Beaulieu,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
-
An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
When assessing a hat's dirtiness, look for visible stains or sweat marks and treat only those areas with a soft, damp cloth and detergent rather than washing the entire hat.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
8 Feb. 2026
-
However, its effectiveness in thoroughly cleaning depends on the degree of dirtiness.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Raunchiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/raunchiness. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
