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wanton 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯn-tᵊn How to pronounce wanton (audio)
Definition of wantonnext
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

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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

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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

wanton

2 of 2

noun

as in flirt
a person who playfully shows another amorous attention quite the wanton when he wants to be

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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 wanton
Adjective
Islamist militant groups are waging a campaign of wanton slaughter against Christians in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, according to a new report. — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 5 May 2026 Anna Bencosme, 28, was booked into jail on charges of strangulation, endangering the welfare of a minor, and wanton endangerment on Tuesday, April 28, online records show. — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Noun
Additional charges included negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property. — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 His characters enjoy casual conversation but don’t brook wanton confession. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wanton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanton
  1. obscene
  2. passionate
  3. cruel
  4. flirt
  5. vulgar
  6. hot
  7. brutal
  8. pornographic
Adjective
  • Last year, after signing a $132 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers following a trade, he was docked another $26,000 for fighting and making an obscene gesture.
    — Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There was a dog’s leg that had been sewn on near a man’s crotch in a way that seemed like an obscene visual pun.
    — John Phipps, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • That’s why the defense of Taylor from inside these walls is so passionate among those who know him.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Hadder is passionate about supporting Boise’s local raptor population, and a student of the region’s history in bringing back birds of prey.
    — Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of passionate
Adjective
  • Like her, Americans are also so tired of being screwed by an administration that’s not only grossly incompetent and cruel but corrupt as well.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than heroic, these costly and horribly uncertain stunts come across callous and cruel.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of cruel
Noun
  • Jolene In Jolene, released in 1974, Parton’s lyrics capture the torment of watching your lover flirt with someone else.
    — Wendy Hargreaves, Fortune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • One of the most charming performances in a show that has many of them comes from Bo Bragason as Oona, a bubbly lesbian flirt whose mom has jetted off to India, leaving her in charge of her little sister (Mabel Strachan) and their houseboat.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of flirt
Adjective
  • Perhaps her daughter-in-law is not vulgar but, rather, simple and spontaneous?
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Decide for yourself whether that’s a bold indicator of English football’s superiority over the rest of the world, or a revolting symbol of the bloated and vulgar behemoth that the game has become.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • Its hot iron core -- oversized for such a small world -- cools and contracts along with the mantle and crust, tightening the surface like a girdle to fit its new slimmer self.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Planar coils simplify stellarator engineering Stellarators use magnetic fields to confine the extremely hot plasma required for fusion.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of hot
Adjective
  • When everything changed, as the dust literally settled on the most brutal terror attack on United States soil, the prevailing impulse among NFL owners was to play the games.
    — Michael Silver, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The cuts and the freezing of public funding for the film industry have been brutal for Argentine cinema.
    — Roberto Prieto, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • Authorities say the girl was subsequently subjected to threats, emotional blackmail, surveillance and physical violence and forced to produce pornographic material and participate in online webcam sessions.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The sheriff’s office said Ahlers had hundreds, and possibly thousands, of pornographic photos and videos of children on his hard drive.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of pornographic

Browse Nearby Words

wanting
wanton
wantonly
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Cite this Entry

“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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