voyeuristic

adjective

voy·​eur·​is·​tic ˌvwä-(ˌ)yər-ˈi-stik  ˌvȯi-ər- 

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a voyeur

voyeuristic drives

… confronting her beauty gave him a bad conscience and made him feel shamefully voyeuristic …

—Phillip Roth

: relating to or derived from voyeurism

voyeuristic pleasure

Through the video surveillance system, Polly engages in voyeuristic eavesdropping.

—Judith Mayne

… to demonstrate that the voyeuristic thrill of watching a stripper ceases at the moment of nakedness.

—Mark Morris

voyeuristically

ˌvwä-(ˌ)yər-ˈi-sti-k(ə-)lē 

ˌvȯi-ər-

adverb

In that film, the cameras voyeuristically followed actor Richard Gere as he worked out and dressed up.

—The Wall Street Journal

Examples of voyeuristic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

It was scripted as being down a long hallway from a distance, from a voyeuristic standpoint. —Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024

Oscillating between black comedy and psychological thriller, writer and director Emerald Fennel (Promising Young Woman) frames the film in 4:3 aspect ratio for a tighter, almost voyeuristic viewing experience that makes its frequently unsettling moments even more uncomfortable. —Matt Kamen, WIRED, 26 Oct. 2024

The first is voyeuristic: How does this belief system function? —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2024

It’s not supposed to be a film about empathizing with a voyeuristic murderer, but that’s the beauty of artistic interpretation! —Hannah Strong, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

voyeuristic

adjective

voy·​eur·​is·​tic ˌvwä-(ˌ)yər-ˈis-tik  ˌvȯi-ər- 

: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a voyeur

voyeuristic drives

voyeuristically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb