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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 Despite the heavy central theme of chronic illness, there’s a delicious bawdiness to Will There Ever Be Another You, a vulgar juvenilia evoking graffiti-tag genitals or the ding dong ditch scene from Billy Madison. Eric Olson september 23, Literary Hub, 23 Sep. 2025 The biopic is the vulgar but necessary tribute inherently populist cinema pays to more traditional, higher-brow art. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025 That shows Davidson freaking out about meeting the queen in order to accept his MBE, finding his inner strength with the help of Dottie to entering the grand hall with a vulgar outburst and charmingly apologizing. Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025 Owen and Lauryn were flooded with anonymous texts daily, many of which were aggressive and vulgar. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vulgar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulgar
Adjective
  • The research team highlighted that beyond water harvesting, these coatings could help reduce urban heat island effects, lower energy needs for air-conditioning and provide climate-resilient water sources in regions facing growing heat and water stress.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Nov. 2025
  • When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Banners containing commercial, political or obscene material, or that block guest views.
    Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Just another week in the world of Ball, who was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Monday for making an obscene gesture in the fourth quarter of the Hornets’ 144-117 loss to Miami.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Amir Mahmoud is a general assignment and transportation beat reporter at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
    Amir Mahmoud, Arkansas Online, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Veteran edge rusher Bradley Chubb said interim general manager Champ Kelly kept him and his agent Erik Burkhardt updated in the days before the trade deadline.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Each project presented at MIA is picked with a genuine desire for these works to come to the fore, not by crass commercial considerations.
    Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Free speech covers the jokes, the satire, the parodies—even the dumb, crass, or offensive ones.
    Lizz Winstead, Time, 27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Through it all, the specifically colloquial quality of the dialogue and the delivery of the vivacious voice cast preserves the film’s Mexican identity.
    Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The language is colloquial, down-to-earth.
    Andrew Rojecki, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2025
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 waste feels more flagrant with every pornographic shot of a Chanel bag, vintage car or over-the-top ensemble.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Opponents of the books describe them as pornographic.
    Adrienne Davis, jsonline.com, 5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Dissent is nothing more than the expression of an opinion that varies from the prevailing or traditional view or the position held by those in power.
    Elizabeth Shackelford, Twin Cities, 26 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vulgar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulgar. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vulgar

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