1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire
in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a wanton attack on unarmed civilians
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wanton
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Mystic Rayne, 53, is facing charges of wanton endangerment and criminal mischief.
—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Armond Langford, 32, is facing multiple charges including robbery, kidnapping, assault, wanton endangerment, fleeing/evading police, burglary and persistent felony offender.
—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wanton
Adjective
And yet this is the type of building that seems always to be in danger of wanton destruction in Chicago.
—
Edward Keegan,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Mystic Rayne, 53, is facing charges of wanton endangerment and criminal mischief.
—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
His characters enjoy casual conversation but don’t brook wanton confession.
—
Vinson Cunningham,
New Yorker,
20 Mar. 2026
Armond Langford, 32, is facing multiple charges including robbery, kidnapping, assault, wanton endangerment, fleeing/evading police, burglary and persistent felony offender.
—
Caroline Neal,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for wanton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanton
Adjective
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Friis Bach, who was then chairman of the Folketing’s secretive Foreign Policy Committee, was asked in early January to begin considering the obscene logistics of a mass evacuation of Greenland.
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The amount of money spent on election campaigns is absolutely obscene.
Adjective
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It was captured as monarch and his eldest son visited the Natural History Museum in London to kick off the countdown to COP30, the annual United Nations climate change summit to be held the following month in Brazil, as both are passionate advocates for the environment.
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Alejandra Gomez, the executive director of the non-profit LUCHA, says that the moratorium emerged from the passionate advocacy of many Arizonans—and in the face of fierce counter-lobbying from the data center industry led by former Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema.
Adjective
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Passing a child who is unprepared may be the cruelest act of all.
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This is your news to share or not share; posting about this on Facebook strikes me as cruel.
Noun
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The daughter of screenwriter Arnold Manoff and Oscar- and Emmy-winning actress/director Lee Grant, Dinah Manoff played Marty Maraschino, the Pink Ladies' biggest flirt.
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The hole’s narrow fairway flirts with disaster on both sides – water and super high rough.
Adjective
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In recent years, Trae Young has repeatedly tormented the Knicks at the famed Madison Square Garden, turning clutch shots and postgame showmanship into vulgar chants from New York fans.
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This isn’t about the vulgar prices now being charged to get into the building and Celebrity Row.
Adjective
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That’s why everything looks different in a cold pool versus a hot shower.
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Either way, El Niño is likely to remain a hot topic throughout 2026.
Adjective
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His first strikeout was part of a brutal sequence.
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The injury is obviously a brutal blow to Canada's starting 11.
Adjective
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Gibson asked for pornographic images of the minor, and sent photos of himself, according to court documents.
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While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.
Cite this Entry
“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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