1
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
a group of urban bohemians who were better known for their libertinism than for their intellectualism
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society
even by the standards of ancient Rome, Caligula's reign was marked by a libertinism that went beyond the pale
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of libertinism
Still, a story that’s equal parts an exploration of libertinism and also a scorching take on the elite remained a tempting narrative to explore.
—
Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
Where his first two books take Bulgaria as backdrop and a certain kind of soft-skinned, deeply feeling libertinism as narrative vehicle, Small Rain functions as a midlife sequel, one that is quietly, unabashedly romantic.
—Sarah Thankam Mathews, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
To some, the campus became the place where the children of American postwar affluence failed to live up to all that had been invested in them, opting instead for campus protest, radical politics, and libertinism.
—Adrian Daub / Made By History, TIME, 3 Sep. 2024
In other words, liberals refuse to acknowledge that political liberalism gives rise to private libertinism.
—Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Each letter affords Stauffer a chance to ruminate on whatever facet of the poet’s history and character happened to be glittering most brightly at the time, from his devotion to the cause of Greek independence in the fight against Ottoman rule to the libertinism for which he is famed.
—The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
The era of libertinism — a philosophy devoted to the pursuit of pleasure — died out in the 19th century.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024
Evil excited certain Surrealists who, for instance, celebrated the predatory libertinism of the Marquis de Sade.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021
Sade, after all, viewed himself not just as a libertine, but as a philosopher of libertinism (one of his works was titled Philosophy in the Boudoir).
—Mitchell Abidor, The New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2020
Abbey White, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Nov. 2024
Where his first two books take Bulgaria as backdrop and a certain kind of soft-skinned, deeply feeling libertinism as narrative vehicle, Small Rain functions as a midlife sequel, one that is quietly, unabashedly romantic.
—Sarah Thankam Mathews, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2024
To some, the campus became the place where the children of American postwar affluence failed to live up to all that had been invested in them, opting instead for campus protest, radical politics, and libertinism.
—Adrian Daub / Made By History, TIME, 3 Sep. 2024
In other words, liberals refuse to acknowledge that political liberalism gives rise to private libertinism.
—Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post, 3 July 2024
Each letter affords Stauffer a chance to ruminate on whatever facet of the poet’s history and character happened to be glittering most brightly at the time, from his devotion to the cause of Greek independence in the fight against Ottoman rule to the libertinism for which he is famed.
—The New Yorker, 12 June 2024
The era of libertinism — a philosophy devoted to the pursuit of pleasure — died out in the 19th century.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2024
Evil excited certain Surrealists who, for instance, celebrated the predatory libertinism of the Marquis de Sade.
—Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2021
Sade, after all, viewed himself not just as a libertine, but as a philosopher of libertinism (one of his works was titled Philosophy in the Boudoir).
—Mitchell Abidor, The New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for libertinism
Noun
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Warming is also altering rain patterns, accelerating droughts, facilitating the spread of devastating diseases like pod rot, and contributing to soil degradation.—
Ayurella Horn-Muller,
WIRED,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Finding the right chemistry The degradation of battery performance is largely a matter of its key components gradually dropping out of use within the battery.—
John Timmer,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
The unaccountable bureaucracy and bloated government that find a home there, and the public and private corruption that go along with them, face serious scrutiny and genuine antagonism for the first time in a while.—
Jack Butler,
National Review,
2 Mar. 2025
-
Countries with weak economic growth, high inflation, widespread corruption, and fragile institutions face the greatest risk.—
Aldo Flores-Quiroga,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Segregationists resisted integration by calling it a threat, arguing that interracial relationships would foster immorality.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2025
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Just as important, many have come to understand that the outside world hardly resembles the wasteland of deprivation, immorality, and criminality that official propaganda depicts.—
Jieun Baek,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Nov. 2016
Noun
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Luther taught instead that God freely forgives the sins of believers.—
Michael Bruening,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
-
The pope’s hospitalization comes during the Vatican’s celebration of the jubilee, a tradition in the Catholic Church dedicated to the remission of sins that occurs every 50 years.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC News,
22 Feb. 2025
Noun
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America’s stable vision of the world relied on the belief that good and evil are clearly delineated—a belief that was easier to maintain in the absence of complicating information.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
The New Yorker,
7 Mar. 2025
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In a quiet and picturesque fishing village in Northern France, a very special child is born, unleashing a secret war between extraterrestrial forces of good and evil.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Libertinism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/libertinism. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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