ribald

1 of 2

adjective

rib·​ald ˈri-bəld 

 also  ˈri-ˌbȯld,

ˈrī-ˌbȯld

1

: marked by coarseness or lewdness : crude, offensive

ribald language

ribald humor

2

: characterized by or using coarse, indecent humor

a ribald memoir/song

ribald

2 of 2

noun

archaic

: a person coarse or lewd in appearance, speech, writing, or thought : a ribald person

Synonyms

Adjective

• bawdy
• blue
• coarse
• crude
• dirty
• filthy
• foul
• gross
• gutter
• impure
• indecent
• lascivious
• lewd
• locker-room
• nasty
• obscene
• pornographic
• porny
• profane
• raunchy
• smutty
• stag
• trashy
• unprintable
• vulgar
• wanton
• X-rated

Choose the Right Synonym for ribald

coarse, vulgar, gross, obscene, ribald mean offensive to good taste or morals.

coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

Examples of ribald in a Sentence

Adjective

some of the movie's most ribald, and thus funniest, scenes were cut for showing on broadcast television

a ribald tale rife with double entendres and racy innuendo

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Much of the dialogue is hilariously ribald, especially in a locker room scene in which the two nude men share a tender familial embrace after comparing penises. —Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 June 2023

The couple became a symbol of marital stability in the freewheeling rock world, even as Charlie drummed for a band that was the most famously ribald band in music history. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 Dec. 2022

Noun

The occasionally ribald comedy leans into, ahem, corny jokes. —Stephen Humphries, The Christian Science Monitor, 20 Nov. 2024

Based on the Critical Role D&D campaign, the show is a super-condensed adaptation that’s funny, ribald, emotionally poignant and a ton of fun. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English ribaud person of low status, scoundrel, lecher, from Anglo-French, from Old French riber to be debauched, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rīban to be in heat, copulate, literally, to rub

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ribald

adjective

rib·​ald

ˈrib-əld

: marked by or using coarse or indecent language or humor

ribald jokes

ribaldry

-əl-drē

noun