Example 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 licentious Whereas The Swimming-Pool Library transpires over one London summer — the last licentious gasp before AIDS— and The Line of Beauty spans the Thatcher era, Hollinghurst has lately been expanding his temporal horizons. Sam Worley, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2024 Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign. Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024 Qutb also offered Khamenei a perspective on the United States as something of a licentious society, ideas Qutb had picked up during his sojourn there in the late 1940s. Akbar Ganji, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013 And finally, modern far-right terrorists still frequently invoke the same libelous assertion that white women must be protected from licentious Black men. TIME, 14 May 2024 With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023 Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant. Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023 Ahmed is referring to the era in Tangier's history, beginning in the interwar period and peaking in the 1950s, when the city served as a licentious playground for a motley assortment of artists, socialites, and hedonists. Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023 In fact, Protestantism emerged in the 1500s in no small part as a reaction to the licentious behavior of some pilgrims and priests, the selling of indulgences to enrich the church or various members of the clergy, and the corruption that was associated with many pilgrimages of the time. James Mills, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licentious
Adjective
  • The couple alternates between passionate embraces and domestic tension (an ambulance shows up in their driveway, at one point, its whirring red and blue light hinting something sinister has just taken place).
    Brent Lang, Variety, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Sanchez, who described herself as a passionate volleyball player in her youth, talked of girls’ losing coveted spots on teams, and in some cases suffering injuries during games because of trans athletes unfairly competing against them.
    Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Some bees can remember experiencing high heat and weigh this against the reward of sugar when it’s offered in hot containers.
    Bob Fischer, The Conversation, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The script, from first-time feature writer Nora Garrett, was a hot property among readers in recent years.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The two men, both Mexican nationals, are now accused of lewd and lascivious behavior with a minor and molesting a minor in connection with an incident that allegedly occurred on March 20 in the cruise ship's sauna.
    Chris Spargo, People.com, 25 Mar. 2025
  • William Francis Chatel was arrested Tuesday, March 11, and charged with lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim under 12 years of age, according to online court records.
    KC Baker, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead of worrying that rich foods would lead to lustful appetites, Americans began worrying that rich foods would kill their libidos.
    Rachel Hope Cleves / Made by History, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
  • The story about Dieter sounds mostly made up, likely by a lustful Kier who invented a lustful brother to cover up his secret shame.
    Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Feb. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Licentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licentious. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on licentious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!