wanton 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯn-tᵊn How to pronounce wanton (audio)
Definition of wantonnext
1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a wanton attack on unarmed civilians

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wanton

2 of 2

noun

as in flirt
a person who playfully shows another amorous attention quite the wanton when he wants to be

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 wanton
Adjective
But to have a wanton act of violence kill 15 innocent people — on New Year’s Day, no less — is new in the worst way. — Chris Branch, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025 The supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way galaxy is associated with wanton destruction, but a recent discovery throws that assumption into question. — Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
Marks is also charged with wanton endangerment, reckless driving and menacing. — Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 3 Oct. 2024 Cosgrove and Mattingly were not charged, but Hankison was tried on several counts of wanton endangerment over bullets that entered a neighboring apartment. — Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 12 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for wanton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanton
  1. obscene
  2. passionate
  3. cruel
  4. flirt
  5. vulgar
  6. hot
  7. brutal
  8. lustful
Adjective
  • Deputies found and arrested Betancourt, who was sentenced March 21 to six years and eight months in state prison for felony child abuse causing injury, felony domestic violence, witness intimidation, and possession of obscene matter depicting persons under age 18 engaged in lewd conduct.
    — Bay City News Service, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Lovable, charming and generous, yet temperamental, arrogant and obscene.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Livvy Dunne gave a passionate testimony during a final hearing regarding the NCAA's $2.8 billion settlement.
    — Natasha Dye, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Clara’s Table restaurant is Dearborn Inn’s tribute to Henry Ford’s wife, Clara, a passionate horticulturist and gracious hostess.
    — Devorah Lev-Tov, AFAR Media, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of passionate
Adjective
  • Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Jokes that didn’t land with the squad The kids in Bad Influence say the pranks were the most cruel.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of cruel
Noun
  • As gold flirts with all-time highs again, headlines are quick to shout what many family offices already know: when the world trembles, gold glitters.
    — Francois Botha, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • In the middle of all this, Alexa and Lino remain pretty steadfast in their commitment to each other (except when Lino occasionally gets the urge to cheat and flirts with Alex, who turns him down every time).
    — Charlotte Walsh, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of flirt
Adjective
  • The childish use of vulgar profanity simply leads peoople to view the speaker as being unable to express his/her view.
    — Letters to the editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Along with receiving vulgar comments in person and people taking her picture on campus, the 18-year-old has received vile and sexist messages after her phone number was posted online.
    — David Chiu, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • The script, from first-time feature writer Nora Garrett, was a hot property among readers in recent years.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Lieu has been one of the key reasons for El Cerrito’s hot start.
    — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of hot
Adjective
  • Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway fared better than the S & P 500 in a brutal week as investors embraced the safety of a cash-rich conglomerate while President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariffs wreaked havoc on Wall Street.
    — Yun Li, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2025
  • With six games remaining in the regular season — and five of them coming in a brutal seven-day span — the Knicks are suddenly getting healthy at a time when workload management becomes a daily dilemma.
    — Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • Sensuous food and French food in particular, retained its association with lustful appetites throughout the 1960s.
    — Rachel Hope Cleves / Made by History, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025
  • 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
Definition of lustful

Browse Nearby Words

wanting
wanton
wantonly
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on wanton

Nglish: Translation of wanton for Spanish Speakers

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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)
See More

Popular

See More

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

8 Words with Fascinating Histories
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a game of hangman on lined paper
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All