as in warm
formal + usually disapproving
having or showing too much interest in sex
He took a prurient interest in their personal life. a book that appealed to the prurient curiosity of its readers
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of prurient
First, would the work as whole be seen as prurient by an ordinary person using community standards.
—
Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The year that final season aired, 2004, is possibly when television’s prurient obsession with rich people really kicked off, with the launch of shows including Desperate Housewives, Entourage, and, notably, The Apprentice.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 June 2025
Then it was replaced by prurient talk about a nude shot.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
During this time, Law was hounded by the press and made into an object of prurient fascination and lust.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Peter Greene, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
The year that final season aired, 2004, is possibly when television’s prurient obsession with rich people really kicked off, with the launch of shows including Desperate Housewives, Entourage, and, notably, The Apprentice.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 June 2025
Then it was replaced by prurient talk about a nude shot.
—Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2025
During this time, Law was hounded by the press and made into an object of prurient fascination and lust.
—Ramin Setoodeh, Variety, 30 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prurient
Adjective
-
The Inn stays shut during winter and ‘pack ice’ season, which some locals will tell you is the most beautiful time of all—for snowmobiling and snowshoeing through the Island’s interior by day, and come evening, getting invited into someone's warm shed for a tipple and a chat.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
-
In 2001, the couple, who did not have children, retired to Miami in search of warmer beaches.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Which was a fun mid-century technique to render a pic unpublishable.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
22 Aug. 2025
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But much of what’s popping up on Substack is appealingly specific, the kind of stuff that’s unpublishable elsewhere.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Then there’s upscale Mexican restaurant El Molino, with its spicy twist on local Baja California cuisine, and Farina e Olio, an oceanfront Italian trattoria serving melt-in-your-mouth ravioli and life-altering desserts.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The red king, which is a spicy version of their pork broth ramen, was worth the years of anticipation.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The legislation would require social media platforms to estimate the age of users and exclude obscene content to children 16 years old or younger.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The use of obscene or indecent clothing or signs will result in expulsion.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Both were charged with multiple counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition, indecent exposure, and resisting arrest.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Larry Leroy Candies was arrested on suspicion of eight counts of committing lewd and lascivious acts with a child younger than 14 years old, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday afternoon in a news release.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Brazil requires supervision and restricts the infinite scroll A Brazilian law that seeks to shield minors from addictive, violent and pornographic online content took effect this month, with experts calling it a milestone in the protection of children and adolescents.—
Barbara Ortutay,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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More than 100 students and parents from Lancaster Country Day School were in court to hear victims describe the shock of having to identify their own faces in pornographic photos to detectives.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The use of obscene or indecent clothing or signs will result in expulsion.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Morris pleaded guilty last year to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child as part of a plea agreement.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
According to a screenshot of the DMs in question, which TMZ obtained, the sender, who seemingly initiated the correspondence, sent a handful of suggestive messages to the Carpenter account.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
26 Mar. 2026
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For now, however, the evidence remains suggestive rather than definitive.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prurient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prurient. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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