as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene
there's a ribaldry in the works of Chaucer that generations of students of English literature have heartily enjoyed
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Recent Examples of ribaldry
Over-Nite Sensation is a triumph: a concentrated digest from perhaps the most popular stretch of his career, and a freeze-frame of his compositional flowering and ingenious lyrical ribaldry.
—
Daniel Felsenthal, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2023
Finding liberty in punk artistry, Dury updated the tradition of British music-hall ribaldry and rude folk humor.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Aug. 2022
The young woman disappeared in the ribaldry, everyone smelling of perfume and drowning one another out in their hysterical good time.
—David Rabe, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2020
The horses pick their fresh ways delicately through the dewy country, the brightness of sunrise has not yet fallen from the air, the sky is blue and all-covering, and the cowboys are full of jokes and morning ribaldries.
—Larry McMurtry, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019
A trio of troublemaking nuns (Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci and Alison Brie) soon complicate matters, resulting in some hilarious, blasphemous ribaldry.
—OregonLive.com, 5 July 2017
Imagine Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company without the cross-dressing ribaldry.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 15 May 2017
Daniel Felsenthal, The Atlantic, 27 Nov. 2023
Finding liberty in punk artistry, Dury updated the tradition of British music-hall ribaldry and rude folk humor.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Aug. 2022
The young woman disappeared in the ribaldry, everyone smelling of perfume and drowning one another out in their hysterical good time.
—David Rabe, The New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2020
The horses pick their fresh ways delicately through the dewy country, the brightness of sunrise has not yet fallen from the air, the sky is blue and all-covering, and the cowboys are full of jokes and morning ribaldries.
—Larry McMurtry, Harper's magazine, 28 Oct. 2019
A trio of troublemaking nuns (Aubrey Plaza, Kate Micucci and Alison Brie) soon complicate matters, resulting in some hilarious, blasphemous ribaldry.
—OregonLive.com, 5 July 2017
Imagine Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatrical Company without the cross-dressing ribaldry.
—Charles McNulty, latimes.com, 15 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribaldry
Noun
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The sour stench of the carcasses was a vulgarity almost too great to bear.—
Nathaniel Rich,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
-
Action rocks as Season 2 leans more into DCU absurdity and vulgarity.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Brain rot has become unavoidable, its grossness ubiquitous.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
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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Since Missouri vanity plates have to follow the state obscenity law, a court would need to find that the state law violates the First Amendment.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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The suspect is also facing charges including interference with a professional sporting event, reckless endangerment, harassment and obscenity.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The coarseness of your grounds is determined by the width of the space between the two grinding burrs.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Aug. 2025
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In particular, there’s a stunning coarseness and ugliness in the Republican Party today.—
Karu F. Daniels,
New York Daily News,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Claud has two convictions for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age and one conviction for open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
16 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribaldry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribaldry. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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