debauchery
Americannoun
plural
debaucheries-
excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures; intemperance.
-
Archaic. seduction from duty, allegiance, or virtue.
Usage
What does debauchery mean? Debauchery is behavior considered excessively decadent, indulgent, and depraved. It’s especially used to collectively refer to drug use, excessive drinking, promiscuous sex, and the kind of uninhibited activity that happens at wild parties.Debauchery has traditionally been used in a negative way by those who condemn it as immoral or sinful. But it is also used in a somewhat ironic way by those who engage in such activity to celebrate it or make it seem fun.Example: Hair metal bands in the ’80s were notorious for their backstage debauchery.
Etymology
Origin of debauchery
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also promised to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, which QAnon conspiracists and others believe prove elite debauchery, including pedophilia.
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
Even with the debauchery and depravity so vividly portrayed by Wambaugh, unsung acts of goodwill and tenderness emerge through the blue fog.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 28, 2025
Yet, despite the agonizing debauchery and hedonism spewing from movies, TV and music, recent events and proclamations from mainstream stars show just how brilliantly light can break through even the darkest corners of our culture.
From Washington Times • Oct. 4, 2023
The protagonist, a Singaporean student named Lu Zhao, spends the summer with his wealthy cousin Tommy in Long Island, and just as in “The Great Gatsby,” increasing layers of American capitalist-laced debauchery ensue.
From Seattle Times • Jun. 3, 2023
Dubbed the nation’s most eligible bachelor, Vanderbilt eschewed the debauchery that would have tempted other men fresh out of their teens and into a bottomless bank account.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
