sensual
Americanadjective
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pertaining to, inclined to, or preoccupied with the gratification of the senses or appetites; carnal; fleshly.
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lacking in moral restraints; lewd or unchaste.
- Synonyms:
- lascivious
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arousing or exciting the senses or appetites.
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of or relating to the senses or physical sensation; sensory.
-
pertaining to the philosophical doctrine of sensationalism.
adjective
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of or relating to any of the senses or sense organs; bodily
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strongly or unduly inclined to gratification of the senses
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tending to arouse the bodily appetites, esp the sexual appetite
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of or relating to sensualism
Synonym Usage
Sensual, sensuous, voluptuous refer to experience through the senses. Sensual refers, often unfavorably, to the enjoyments derived from the senses, especially from the gratification or indulgence of physical appetites: a sensual delight in eating; sensual excesses. Sensuous refers, favorably or literally, to what is experienced through the senses: sensuous impressions; sensuous poetry. Voluptuous implies the luxurious gratification of sensuous or sensual desires: voluptuous joys; voluptuous beauty. See also carnal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sensual
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin sēnsuālis, equivalent to sēnsu-, stem of sēnsus sense + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Sensual means physically pleasing. It often is used in a sexual context, but is not exclusively sexual in meaning. Sensual has to do with the five senses, but it comes with a hint of lewdness, a suggestion of sex. Although you could have a sensual meal or experience that doesn’t involve romance, if you want a word that refers to the five senses without any unsavory connotations, use its cousin sensuous.
Vocabulary lists containing sensual
Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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Warm-up, List 5
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 17
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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.
Until now, Kate Bush was the only other female producer to have been nominated, for her 1989 album The Sensual World.
From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026
Lucy Dacus, “Forever Is a Feeling” Sensual or cerebral is a false dichotomy.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025
The Sensual World’s title track has Paddy Bush playing two fishing rods.
From The Guardian • Jul. 28, 2018
Sensual smells such as vanilla, roses or lavender can help induce sleep, while peppermint smells can wake you up, says Dr. Dedhia, adding that a few sprays of “lavender on pillows can be lovely.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Sep. 28, 2016
I see well such company evermore, As Sensual Appetite is gone for, Will please well this audience.
From A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 1 by Hazlitt, William Carew
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.
