1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
some of the movie's most ribald, and thus funniest, scenes were cut for showing on broadcast television
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2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a ribald tale rife with double entendres and racy innuendo
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Recent Examples of ribald
But Beforeigners eschews the supernatural, and the campier teen soap elements, to deliver a thoughtful, moving, and often quite ribald and funny tale of various worlds colliding.
—
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a new series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a new series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribald
Adjective
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The obscene cost of healthcare has pushed manufacturers offshore and kept wages stagnant for decades.—
Ro Khanna,
Twin Cities,
12 June 2025
-
In Tacoma, 35 miles to the south, Ted Bundy grew up near the American Smelting and Refining Co., which disgorged obscene levels of lead and arsenic into the air while netting millions for the Guggenheim dynasty before its 1986 closure.—
Hamilton Cain,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Carmichael is an entertaining and observant narrator of his own story, and, ultimately, even jokes about Pop-Tarts or Donald Trump or blowjobs are suggestive reflections of the comedian who tells them.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
23 May 2025
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As the narrative unfolds, her mundane tasks take a playful turn, with suggestive dance moves punctuating her daydreams, until Wheeler suddenly appears unannounced, leaving both characters caught in a moment of shy intrigue.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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The survey examined a minimum of 1,000 comments per team and found less than 1% of posts made by fans of the Dallas Wings contained swear words or vulgar comments.—
Alyssa Cooper,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
30 May 2025
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The program was incredibly close-knit—kids practiced most days of the week, and hung out almost exclusively with their fellow All-Stars, as well as with the vulgar, charismatic teacher who structured their lives.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
3 May 2025
Adjective
-
Some Asian ingredients include spicy xo sauce, Japanese snow crab and A5 Miyazaki Gyu, a top-grade Japanese wagyu beef.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
5 June 2025
-
Both of our children were a week past their due dates...so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn't work - there was only one thing left to do!—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Known for her bold, bawdy stand-up routines, Underwood earned respect as a trailblazer in both stand-up and television.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
30 Apr. 2025
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The vibe, never exactly cheerful, and never leavened by a hint of even the most sarcastic sense of humor, takes a turn for the horrific one evening in the wake of the bawdy revels celebrating Tomek’s wedding.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene slid into foul territory down the left-field line in pursuit of Chase Meidroth’s third-inning fly ball, then disappeared in a cloud of dust.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
3 June 2025
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Then, Muncy went deep again, continuing his recent surge by belting another three-run homer high off the right-field foul pole, tying a career-high with seven RBIs on the day.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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Well, as referenced above, the United States was coming out of a nasty recession tied to the crisis in the mortgage market.—
Ken Roberts,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
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Depending on a team to string together hits — or even contact — to score multiple runs in an inning against pitchers with nasty stuff is a hard way to win.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Washing Machine Cleaner Your clothes aren’t the only things that get dirty in the laundry room.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
13 June 2025
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The effort is big business with organized, managed, paid people doing the dirty work.—
Carolyn Rosenblatt,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribald. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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