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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the barbaric wantonness with which the guards treated the prisoners of war
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grossness
the quality or state of being obscene
novels characterized chiefly by their sheer wantonness
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of wanton
Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 13 Dec. 2024
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
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
Adjective
The practice of slavery continued long after the abolition of the slave trade by France in 1818, with enslavers supported by the state for acts of astonishing, wanton violence.
—Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 13 Dec. 2024
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
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
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
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
-
Beyond football, Sanders is equally passionate about advancing women’s sports.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Such evidence could support the view that incessant loud noise amounts to torture or cruel treatment towards cetaceans, in turn galvanizing support for a new right to be free from such harm.—
David Gruber,
Time,
24 Apr. 2025
-
But this is the cruel and unreasonable state of this Administration's deportation policy.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The Europeans were enchanted by the expressive fluency that the New York critics had considered vulgar.—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
-
The chief spoke at the LAPD’s Police Commission weekly meeting Tuesday, a day after news broke that officers from the department’s recruitment and employment division had been unknowingly recorded making vulgar comments, including while talking about police applicants.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Dozens of children tragically perish each year in cars that quickly heat up when left in the hot sun, even if the temperatures don't feel hot out.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Whether the same can be said of his remaining time at the club will be a hot topic come the summer window.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
But graduating in 2009 meant stepping into a brutal job market during the Great Recession.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Andrews adds musical interludes, which don’t always work, and brutal jokes, which do.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
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
Adjective
-
This was a vicious weaponization of your government.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Shauna may be the vicious Antler Queen now, but Lottie also played a role in Mari’s death.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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