titillation

Definition of titillationnext
as in thrill
a pleasurably intense stimulation of the feelings a cultural critic who argues that people have become too dependent upon the instant gratification and titillation that television and the Internet provide

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 titillation Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, posed in front of a group of immigrants sent to a torture site in El Salvador, in a show of sadistic titillation. Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026 Turning our back on data would remove any outside accountability, leave policymakers driving a car without map or road, and lead the country to a place where the titillation of conspiracy and cherry-picked numbers become the only barometer of what’s real. Abby McCloskey, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026 Historically, Minter said, such paintings were a sanctioned form of titillation. Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2025 But the companies that were early to embrace mature AI also encountered legal and societal minefields and harmful abuse as a growing number of people have turned to the technology for companionship or titillation. Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2025 There were moments of incredible intimacy as well as moments of titillation and moments of danger. Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 8 Oct. 2025 That’s a sad thing for fashion, because fashion is about titillation and should be fun. James Fallon, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for titillation
Noun
  • Real horror exists without suspense, without thrills, without any physical release.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
  • Think about the thrill of discovery when the pictures finally emerge as objects on paper.
    Rotem Rozental, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Noun
  • Yamal already has 32 international caps, almost twice as many as Pele — the high watermark for teenage kicks — had at the same age.
    Jack Lang, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • The man questioned by police earlier allegedly appeared to throw 10 punches at the man on the ground and three knee strikes or kicks, according to the arrest reports.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Titillation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/titillation. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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