risqué

American  

[ri-skey, rees-key] / rɪˈskeɪ, risˈkeɪ /

adjective

1. daringly close to indelicacy or impropriety; off-color.

   a risqué story.

   Synonyms:

   ribald, indecent, gross, broad

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risqué British  

/ ˈrɪskeɪ /

adjective

1. bordering on impropriety or indecency

   a risqué joke

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Etymology

Origin of risqué

1865–70; < French, past participle of risquer to risk

Example Sentences

There are a lot fewer neon-drenched skyscrapers and risqué robots than we were promised, but a quarter of the way through the 21st century, we are indeed essentially living inside a cyberpunk dystopia.

From Salon • Feb. 20, 2026

Disorderly in its construction, “Tristram Shandy” is ribald and risqué in its content, yet charitable and affecting in tone.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026

But it was up against other, hipper shows like The Word, and a balding, middle-aged, middle-class man being risqué suddenly seemed less cutting-edge.

From BBC • Aug. 4, 2025

Given that improv comedy can elicit lowbrow and risqué suggestions from audiences, we asked Bristow, who is the show’s director, the extent to which puppets affected the relationship between performers and audience members.

From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2023

But the abbot, although generally tolerant of Mendel’s whims, had intervened: a monk coaxing mice to mate to understand heredity was a little too risqué, even for the Augustinians.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee