Definition of vulgarnext
1
2
3
4
5

Synonym Chooser

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

Some common synonyms of vulgar are coarse, gross, obscene, and ribald. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

When is it sensible to use coarse instead of vulgar?

While the synonyms coarse and vulgar are close in meaning, coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

When might gross be a better fit than vulgar?

The synonyms gross and vulgar are sometimes interchangeable, but gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

In what contexts can obscene take the place of vulgar?

While in some cases nearly identical to vulgar, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

Where would ribald be a reasonable alternative to vulgar?

In some situations, the words ribald and vulgar are roughly equivalent. However, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

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 vulgar The man called the driver vulgar names and spit on the right side of his face, according to Encarnacion-Rosados’ arrest warrant. Silas Morgan, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Jan. 2026 Workers should never be subjected to vulgar language or behavior by anyone — including the President of the United States. Jamie L. Lareau, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2026 Although the Ripken card launched many conspiracy theories as to whether the inclusion of its vulgar phrase was truly a mistake or a Fleer marketing ploy, there is a long history of errors making it through quality control in sports card production. Tyler Holzhammer, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026 The joke swap during last year's Christmas episode went to some particularly jaw-dropping places after Che made Jost read a vulgar joke about Johansson. Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 21 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vulgar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulgar
Adjective
  • Previously, just one satellite in the program had reached low Earth orbit — NEONSAT-1, which flew atop an Electron in April 2024.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Rieder is believed to prefer lower interest rates, a top priority for a president who wants massive rate cuts.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Not only are hospital CEOs paid obscene amounts of money and the hospitals are sitting on fat cash balances, but NewYork–Presbyterian is guilty of something even more grotesque.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Some made obscene gestures, and one held up a paper cursing the president.
    Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That summer, the NYAG’s general counsel finally found an objectionable line in one of Goldis’s blog posts, titled Free to Ban.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 31 Jan. 2026
  • The team announced Thursday night that Ian Cunningham, 40, who started his career as a personnel assistant with the Baltimore Ravens, is their new general manager.
    D. Orlando Ledbetter, AJC.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Zamiri aims to send up the crass monetization of a cultural boom, turning up the film’s absurdity knob to highlight the very real ways in which record labels and other corporate interests attach themselves vampirically to artistic success.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Jan. 2026
  • Season 4 does introduce the three new Americans via Tender — an online payment system used for gambling and pornography sites, which becomes the focal point of Season 4 — with Penn’s Jonah bringing a crass brand of American humor to the season premiere.
    Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The city of big apples, hand-​tossed pizzas and the colloquial adverb deadass.
    Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
  • This time around, our Traitors and Faithfuls are a beautiful assortment of Housewives, Survivors, athletes, actors, and plenty of mothers — both literal (Donna Kelce) and in the colloquial sense (Porsha Williams).
    Tom Smyth, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Here, however, Makowsky examines a purely ignoble figure who feels entitled without accomplishing a thing.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 6 Nov. 2025
  • The Jets recently saw their local deliveries plummet to an ignoble 4.5 rating, which translates to a meager 350,530 Gang Green households tuning in to WBCS-2.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The dangers of some using modern technology to render false, realistic pornographic depictions of real individuals is just one of many concerns people are having in the age of artificial intelligence.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 23 Jan. 2026
  • The legislation would allow individuals whose likeness has been used by AI to generate pornographic photos and videos without their consent to sue those responsible for generating or disseminating the content for upward of $150,000.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Harvesting seed nearby is a way to get plants that are genetically adapted to the prevailing environmental conditions and are more likely to thrive.
    Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2026
  • In the northern United States, enjoying the starry winter sky requires protection against the prevailing low temperatures.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 16 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vulgar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulgar. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on vulgar

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!