obscenity

American  

[uhb-sen-i-tee, -see-ni-] / əbˈsɛn ɪ ti, -ˈsi nɪ- /

noun

• obscenities
  plural

1. the character or quality of being obscene; indecency; lewdness.

2. something obscene, as a picture or story.

3. an obscene word or expression, especially when used as an invective.

   Synonyms:

   swear word, profanity, oath, cussword, cuss, curse word, curse

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obscenity British  

/ əbˈsɛnɪtɪ /

noun

1. the state or quality of being obscene

2. an obscene act, statement, word, etc

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obscenity Cultural  

1. Behavior, appearance, or expression (such as films and books) that violate accepted standards of sexual morality. American courts have long tried to define obscenity but without much success. Some believe, for example, that any depiction of nudity is obscene; others would argue that nudity in itself is not obscene. (See four-letter words (see also four-letter words) and pornography.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• antiobscenity
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• obscenities
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of obscenity

First recorded in 1600–10; from French obscenité, from Latin obscēnitās, equivalent to obscēn(us) obscene + -itās -ity

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Explanation

An obscenity is a dirty word or phrase. It can also refer to the quality of being lewd, bawdy, or just plain offensive. You know those four-letter words that everyone knows but not everyone likes to hear? The ones that will get you in trouble if you say them in school or on television? They are obscenities, which are also known as swear words. You can also say that anything offensive or inappropriate is an obscenity. This can include things that are not only dirty, but things that are offensive in other ways. Many say torture and war are obscenities.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

obscenity obscenities

That this is a grotesque obscenity and cannot be allowed to continue?

From Slate ● Feb. 3, 2026

The film, among the first to receive an X rating, was the subject of 23 prosecutions for obscenity, which didn’t get in the way of it becoming a breakout hit in 1968.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026

Maybe it’s just a vibe, or as Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart once wrote about obscenity: “I know it when I see it.”

From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025

Anderson founded “The Little Review” in Chicago in 1913 and nurtured it into a publication that moved to New York and Paris — and played a part in the infamous “Ulysses” obscenity trial.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 3, 2025

Please confine yourself to discussing issues and such; thereby you will at least avoid obscenity and offense.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Saeed Habiba, the head of Iran’s Student Affairs Organization, said universities won’t tolerate what he called obscenities and illegal acts and that some students have been summoned and charged with unspecified offenses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026

Beyond the melting shadows of the arena, gladiatrices would have heard thousands of faceless spectators howl obscenities, felt the heat of their breath, and smelled the mass of bodies raging in the night.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2024

We won’t print those obscenities here, which explains why much of the legacy media has to rely on grandma-isms such as “pottymouth” to write about these events.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2024

Attempts have been made to cover it over, but some of the obscenities can still be read.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2023

“How dare you scream obscenities at me. Someone grab that boy,” Ignatius said wildly as George disappeared into the crowds of pedestrians farther down the street.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

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Related Words

• four-letter word
• indecency
• pornography
• profanity
• smut
• vulgarity

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