obscene
Americanadjective
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offensive to morality or decency; indecent; depraved.
obscene language.
-
causing uncontrolled sexual desire.
-
abominable; disgusting; repulsive.
adjective
-
offensive or outrageous to accepted standards of decency or modesty
-
law (of publications) having a tendency to deprave or corrupt
-
disgusting; repellent
an obscene massacre
Other Word Forms
- obscenely adverb
- obsceneness noun
- unobscene adjective
- unobscenely adverb
- unobsceneness noun
Etymology
Origin of obscene
First recorded in 1585–95, obscene is from the Latin word obscēnus, obscaenus
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.
“Does that sound fantastical? Yes, it totally sounds fantastical. That’s why it’s obscene and conspicuous and unbelievable, because it’s probably never going to happen.”
From Barron's
“Does that sound fantastical? Yes, it totally sounds fantastical. That’s why it’s obscene and conspicuous and unbelievable, because it’s probably never going to happen.”
From Barron's
And when moral scolds seized on excerpts of “Ulysses” — citing the Comstock Act’s ban on sending “obscene” material via U.S. mail — she protested.
From Los Angeles Times
It’s insanity and, no question about it, it’s also morally obscene.
From Salon
Not the 66% of its golden age, but still obscene by normal standards.
From MarketWatch
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.
