obscene

adjective

ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn How to pronounce obscene (audio)
əb-
1
: disgusting to the senses : repulsive
2
a
: abhorrent to morality or virtue
specifically : designed to incite to lust or depravity
… the dance often becomes flagrantly obscene and definitely provocative … Margaret Mead
b
: containing or being language regarded as taboo in polite usage
obscene lyrics
obscene literature
c
: repulsive by reason of crass disregard of moral or ethical principles
an obscene misuse of power
d
: so excessive as to be offensive
obscene wealth
obscene waste
obscenely adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for obscene

coarse, vulgar, gross, obscene, ribald mean offensive to good taste or morals.

coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

Examples of obscene in a Sentence

He was accused of making obscene phone calls. He made an obscene gesture at the driver who cut him off. The company's executives earn obscene salaries. He spends an obscene amount of money on clothes.
Recent Examples on the Web Paramount—and the obscene wealth of Hollywood in general—was a frequent punch line for him, invoking, perhaps, the initial purpose of the Academy Awards themselves when they were started, in the late 1920s. Fran Hoepfner, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2024 The lawsuit alleges the principal and the district violated the California Education Code, which provides strong protections for student journalism and free speech with few exceptions, such as content that is obscene, libelous or slanderous. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The Miller Test is the U.S. Supreme Court’s legal test to determine what works are obscene. Joe Kottke, NBC News, 13 Feb. 2024 Resolutions to get fit or lose weight are among the most popular on New Year’s Day after so many people consume an obscene number of calories in late November and most of December. Chris Morris, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2024 The idea that human beings are expected to sacrifice their mental and emotional health in service of Bravo’s ratings is obscene. . . Jessica Wang, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 The posts, often obscene and employing artificial intelligence to manipulate images or mimic Ms. Haley’s voice, did away with traditional political critique, trying instead to cast an opponent as someone with loose morals. Ken Bensinger, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Banners or signs may not be commercial in nature, obscene or cause any disturbance to other fans. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 21 Feb. 2024 The politics of immigration have always been cynical, even obscene. Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'obscene.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, "offensively indecent," borrowed from Latin obscēnus, obscaenus "ill-omened, unpropitious, evoking disgust, loathsome, indecent, lewd," of uncertain origin

Note: M. de Vaan (Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the Other Italic Languages, Brill, 2008), following a suggestion by Ernout and Meillet, connects obscaenus (if this was the earliest form) with scaevus "left, on the left-hand side, inauspicious," and proposes an original *ob-skai-no- "coming from the left, unpropitious," from Indo-European *skeh2i- "in shadow."

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of obscene was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near obscene

Cite this Entry

“Obscene.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obscene. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

obscene

adjective
ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn How to pronounce obscene (audio)
əb-
1
2
: very shocking to one's sense of what is moral or decent
obscenely adverb

Legal Definition

obscene

adjective
ob·​scene äb-ˈsēn How to pronounce obscene (audio)
: extremely or deeply offensive according to contemporary community standards of morality or decency see also Roth v. United States

Note: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that obscene applies to materials that appeal predominantly to a prurient interest in sexual conduct, depict or describe sexual conduct in a patently offensive way, and lack serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value. Material or expression deemed obscene by the court is not protected by the free speech guarantee of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Etymology

Middle French, from Latin obscenus obscaenus indecent, lewd

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