1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a bawdy limerick that mischievous storytellers love to recite
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 bawdy
Its bawdy lampooning came in 1971 as a Carry On film, which may mean little to those of us who are not Brits of a certain age.
—
Elle Carroll, Vulture, 18 June 2024
An American Werewolf in London (1981) John Landis helmed this subversive blend of werewolf mythos intertwined with revolting body horror, bawdy comedy, and genuine tragedy.
—EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
At the end of the night, the mat has been wiped down of the bawdy affair.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Ani is one of HQ’s best girls, and Madison plays her with a bawdy effrontery and a disarming grin that seems to widen by a mile under neon lights.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bawdy 
Elle Carroll, Vulture, 18 June 2024
An American Werewolf in London (1981) John Landis helmed this subversive blend of werewolf mythos intertwined with revolting body horror, bawdy comedy, and genuine tragedy.
—EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
At the end of the night, the mat has been wiped down of the bawdy affair.
—Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Ani is one of HQ’s best girls, and Madison plays her with a bawdy effrontery and a disarming grin that seems to widen by a mile under neon lights.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bawdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bawdy
Adjective
-
He was booked on charges of enticing a child under 16, distribution of obscene matter, and lascivious posing and exhibiting a child in the nude.Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 3 Dec. 2024
-
Of course, obscene content has been censored, and services that clearly broke intellectual property laws, like Napster, WikiLeaks, and The Pirate Bay were shuttered, but, for the average person, the internet remained broadly open in the United States.Callum Booth, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The appearance of weather conditions suggestive of La Niña, a climate phenomenon linked to drier conditions and drought in southern parts of the U.S., likely played a large part in priming southern California for extreme fire conditions this week.Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
-
The stories were often suggestive, leaving plenty of room for the imagination to fill in the gaps.Rachel Monroe, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
The vast majority of females in the book are described with vulgar disrespect by the various characters and the narrator.Brittany Wallman, Miami Herald, 2 Jan. 2025
-
There is no excuse and no rationalization for a vulgar, inhumane act that senselessly took a life.David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
They are known for serving Sichuan, a specific type of Chinese cuisine that is hot and spicy.Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 Jan. 2025
-
The finish is long and sweet, with lingering fruity and spicy notes.Joseph V Micallef, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
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
Adjective
-
The net front is the nastiest place on an NHL rink.Chris Branch, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
-
Make sure your items are delivered on time before nasty weather hits by signing up for a Prime membership.Christopher Murray, Fox News, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Which brings us back to the Knicks’ glaring issues: minutes, foul calls, and rotations.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 Jan. 2025
-
The captaincy tag had appeared to shake him from a foul mood that has festered as the series has worn on exacerbated by the youthful exuberance of brash upstart Sam Konstas, who has really gotten under his skin.Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
This set also comes with a shoe bag that has two compartments and can double as a laundry bag for dirty clothes during your trip.Rachel Trujillo, Travel + Leisure, 8 Jan. 2025
-
The door to the laundry room is made of textured glass, so dirty clothes are hidden, but light continues to flow into the apartment.Katharina Schwarze, Architectural Digest, 7 Jan. 2025
Articles Related to bawdy
Thesaurus Entries Near bawdy
Cite this Entry
“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bawdy. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share