obscenity
noun
ob·scen·i·ty
äb-ˈse-nə-tē 
əb-,
also -ˈsē-
plural obscenities
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something (such as an utterance or act) that is obscene
Examples of obscenity in a Sentence
The author uses obscenity to make a point about the culture.
the song couldn't be performed on the air due to the obscenity of the lyrics
Recent Examples on the Web
The early setback led to Sabalenka receiving a swift code violation as she was reprimanded for an audible obscenity.
—
Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
In one of the incidents, someone spray painted an obscenity believed to be directed at Musk before being chased away by a security guard, according to a Loveland police affidavit.
—Colleen Slevin, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2025
Was it manager Ruud van Nistelrooy mouthing obscenities at his players (and apologies to the lipreaders among you for the gif at the top of today’s TAFC)?
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Yet the movie also contains, by my count, more than a dozen significant obscenities, as well as enough death to scar the Bluey crowd for life.
—Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
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Staff and News Service Reports, Orange County Register, 13 Mar. 2025
In one of the incidents, someone spray painted an obscenity believed to be directed at Musk before being chased away by a security guard, according to a Loveland police affidavit.
—Colleen Slevin, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2025
Was it manager Ruud van Nistelrooy mouthing obscenities at his players (and apologies to the lipreaders among you for the gif at the top of today’s TAFC)?
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Yet the movie also contains, by my count, more than a dozen significant obscenities, as well as enough death to scar the Bluey crowd for life.
—Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for obscenity
Cite this Entry
“Obscenity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscenity. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
obscenity
noun
ob·scen·i·ty
äb-ˈsen-ət-ē
əb-
plural obscenities
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something that is obscene
Legal Definition
obscenity
noun
ob·scen·i·ty
äb-ˈse-nə-tē
plural obscenities
1
: the quality or state of being obscene
2
: something (as an utterance or act) that is obscene
also
: obscene material
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