obscenity

noun

ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈse-nə-tē How to pronounce obscenity (audio)
əb-
also -ˈsē-
plural obscenities
Synonyms of obscenitynext
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something (such as an utterance or act) that is obscene

Synonyms of obscenity

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Examples of obscenity in a Sentence

The author uses obscenity to make a point about the culture. the song couldn't be performed on the air due to the obscenity of the lyrics
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
After most of the sellout crowd filed out Wednesday, one solitary Sox fan stood at his seat under the press box, shouting obscenities about the Guardians and the city of Cleveland. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 9 Oct. 2026 Shawn Seaman on Monday told KDKA about some of the incidents that involve young people entering local businesses, yelling obscenities and racial slurs and then running out. — Meghan Schiller, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2026 That's how every criminal statute (including obscenity) works. — Robert Steinbuch, Arkansas Online, 18 Sep. 2026 This results in a wild stretch of attempts by Mona to give life to the line, building to sheer insane obscenities responsible for the film’s R rating. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for obscenity

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French obscenité "indecent words or images," borrowed from Latin obscēnitāt-, obscēnitās (obscaenitāt-, obscaenitās) "indecency, indecent language or behavior," from obscēnus, obscaenus "ill-omened, unpropitious, evoking disgust, indecent, lewd" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at obscene

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obscenity was in 1589

Phrases Containing obscenity

Rhymes for obscenity

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Browse Nearby Words

obsceneness
obscenity
obscurant
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Cite this Entry

“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscenity. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

obscenity

noun
ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈsen-ət-ē How to pronounce obscenity (audio)
əb-
plural obscenities
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something that is obscene

Legal Definition

obscenity

noun
ob·​scen·​i·​ty äb-ˈse-nə-tē How to pronounce obscenity (audio)
plural obscenities
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something (as an utterance or act) that is obscene
also : obscene material

More from Merriam-Webster on obscenity

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about obscenity

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