Usage of Homosexual
The adjective homosexual has been decreasing in use in published, edited text since the late 20th century, and is now sometimes considered offensive, since the word can be seen as evoking negative stereotypes and outdated clinical understandings of homosexuality as a psychiatric condition. The term has largely been replaced by gay, which can describe sexual or romantic attraction or activity between men or between women; by lesbian, which applies only to the latter; or by inclusive abbreviations such as LGBT ("lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender").
Usage of Homosexual
The noun homosexual has seen a decrease in use in published, edited text since the mid-1990s and is now often regarded as offensive, since the word can be seen as evoking negative stereotypes and outdated clinical understandings of homosexuality as a psychiatric condition. Phrases that employ the adjectives gay and lesbian tend to be preferred, as in "a gay man," "a lesbian couple," "gay people," etc.
Examples of homosexual in a Sentence
The Editors, National Review, 30 Jan. 2023
The Vatican has said previously that homosexuality shouldn’t carry criminal penalties, though Catholic teaching forbids homosexual acts.
—Francis X. Rocca, WSJ, 25 Jan. 2023
The Economist specifically cited a pair of 13th and 14th-century poets, Rumi and Hafiz, who lived in modern-day Iran and often wrote about homosexual relationships.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 24 Nov. 2022
It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that close to everyone prominently featured in Young Bloomsbury was homosexual.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2022
None of the 500 British Muslims interviewed believed that homosexual acts were morally acceptable.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 25 Mar. 2011
Use of a slur that targets trans people increased 53%, while instances of an offensive term for homosexual men went up 39% over the yearly average.
—David Klepper, ajc, 11 Nov. 2022
Ashley Shannon Wu, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2022
There were also some differences between homosexual and heterosexuals in both groups.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 5 Oct. 2011
Yes in 21st century being homosexual is a punishable crime in Iran and now she and Elham Chobdar are sentenced to be executed.
—Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 6 Sep. 2022
Billy Eichner, noted homosexual, found himself the target of some odd gossip when a clickbait article touting his relationship with Noelle costar Anna Kendrick went viral.
—Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 19 June 2022
Every single homosexual in our country should be charged with a crime.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC News, 9 June 2022
In 1895, Oscar Wilde had his boyfriend’s father, the Marquess of Queensberry, arrested for accurately suggesting that Wilde was a homosexual.
—Kyle Smith, National Review, 14 Apr. 2022
Even in his lifetime, this Prussian royal was widely rumored to be a homosexual, though that term wouldn’t be coined till nearly 90 years after his death.
—NBC News, 18 Oct. 2021
When his roommate at the Naval Academy said jokingly last year that Andrew Atwill was a homosexual, the midshipman told him to cut it out.
—Taylor Deville, baltimoresun.com, 4 Aug. 2021
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'homosexual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near homosexual
Cite this Entry
“Homosexual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/homosexual. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
homosexual
1 of 2 adjective
homosexual
2 of 2 nounMedical Definition
homosexual
1 of 2 adjective
Note: The adjective homosexual has been decreasing in use in published, edited text since the late 20th century, and is now sometimes considered offensive. The term has largely been replaced by gay, which can describe sexual or romantic attraction or activity between men or between women; by lesbian, which applies only to the latter; or by inclusive abbreviations such as LGBT ("lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender").
homosexual
2 of 2 nounNote: The noun homosexual has seen a decrease in use in published, edited text since the mid-1990s and is now often regarded as offensive; instead, phrases that employ the adjectives gay and lesbian tend to be preferred, as in "a gay man," "a lesbian couple," "gay people," etc.
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