SENSUALLY Synonyms: 29 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'sensual' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sensual are animal , carnal , and fleshly . While all these words mean "having a relation to the body," sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual. // fleshpots providing sensual delights

Q: When could 'animal' be used to replace 'sensual'?

Although the words animal and sensual have much in common, animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person. // led a mindless animal existence

Q: When might 'carnal' be a better fit than 'sensual'?

In some situations, the words carnal and sensual are roughly equivalent. However, carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature. // a slave to carnal desires

Q: How are the words 'fleshly' and 'carnal' related as synonyms of 'sensual'?

Fleshly is less derogatory than carnal . // a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations

sensual

adjective

ˈsen(t)-sh(ə-)wəl

Definition of sensual

as in sensuous

pleasing to the physical senses the sensual feel of a velvet shirt against the skin

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How is the word sensual different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sensual are animal, carnal, and fleshly. While all these words mean "having a relation to the body," sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual.

fleshpots providing sensual delights

When could animal be used to replace sensual?

Although the words animal and sensual have much in common, animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person.

led a mindless animal existence

When might carnal be a better fit than sensual?

In some situations, the words carnal and sensual are roughly equivalent. However, carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature.

a slave to carnal desires

How are the words fleshly and carnal related as synonyms of sensual?

Fleshly is less derogatory than carnal.

a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations

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 sensual Due to popular demand, Black Bear is putting the extremely high-concept romantasy film in the most sensual format yet devised. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026 Mosaku’s dress was formfitting and merged timeless elegance with a scintillating, sensual appeal by contemporary standards. — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 5 Oct. 2026 These sensual glimmers are no match for the antagonistic sociality of straight male relationships, which, in this novel, quickly convert sympathy or desire into rivalry and aggression. — Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026 For more than three decades, his romantic ballads and hits have provided the soundtrack for couples swaying cheek-to-cheek to the sensual gouyad of konpa rhythms. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sensual

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sensual

Adjective

And their courtship, which White shoots with a sensuous intimacy, begins with some canoodling at a bar, then progresses into an impulsive hookup during a late session at the office.

— Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
In our natural state, the sensuous and formal drives conflict with each other.

— The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of sensuous

Adjective

During our stay, the work of Croatian artist Matej Vuković was on display, bringing pops of brightly colored clouds and unique shapes to the lush green landscape.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026
There, an ominous cloud settled over Holden’s every word, with a stream of samples that made the beats feel textured and lush.

— Matthew Ritchie, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of lush

Adjective

The difference between one frame rate and another can be the difference between wanting to ogle a voluptuous demon and wanting to squish her like a bug.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2026
Everyone, meanwhile, can enjoy the simple, perfect sight gag of a voluptuous sheep cleaning a blackboard with her ample fleece.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of voluptuous

Adjective

Talking Heads frontman David Byrne makes a delightful cameo as the fictional host Johnny Johnson, while producer Dan Nigro features in the video as well.

— Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
Each step sends a ripple through the spongy, thin mat, a slow undulating motion beneath your feet that surprises the senses, disorienting yet simultaneously strangely delightful.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of delightful

Adjective

After decades of neglect and subsequent disrepair, it was recently restored into a luxurious one-bedroom retreat that honors its historic roots while embracing contemporary amenities like a king bed, an en-suite bathroom, and a sleek living area.

— Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
The result was a journey that allowed the guests to experience some of the planet’s last truly wild places in a way that felt adventurous, luxurious, and safe.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of luxurious

Adjective

Through artifacts spanning 5,000 years, the exhibition constructs an extraordinary history of fashion and the body—material, carnal, vulnerable, seductive, devotional, fragmented—and its transpositions into various expressive languages.

— Judith Clark, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2026
Author-director Wayne Wang is back to carnal game playing as a catalyst for psychological mischief in Diary of a Mad Old Man, which stars Fan Bingbing and Lily Franky and is headed to a gala world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of carnal

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sensory

sensual

sensualist

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“Sensual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sensual. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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