obscene

adjective

ob·scene äb-ˈsēn How to pronounce obscene (audio)

əb-

: disgusting to the senses : repulsive

: abhorrent to morality or virtue

specifically : designed to incite to lust or depravity

… the dance often becomes flagrantly obscene and definitely provocative …

Margaret Mead

: containing or being language regarded as taboo in polite usage

obscene lyrics

obscene literature

: repulsive by reason of crass disregard of moral or ethical principles

an obscene misuse of power

: so excessive as to be offensive

obscene wealth

obscene waste

obscenely adverb

Example Sentences

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 For example, Baskervill wrote that Virginia law doesn't give her the specific authority to determine whether the books are obscene for minors.

Ben Finley, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2022 For example, Baskervill wrote that Virginia law doesn't give her the specific authority to determine whether the books are obscene for minors.

Ben Finley, ajc, 30 Aug. 2022 And subscription snack boxes keep my munchies at bay without my having to forage for the most obscene flavor of Combos at my local bodega or raid the BA test kitchen for pecan nubs left over from muffin recipe testing.

Bon Appétit, 19 Apr. 2022 Cuzela implored the board to audit all of the district’s library books and get rid of those that are too obscene to be read aloud in public.

NBC News, 2 Feb. 2022 On Saturday night, Jayapal called 911 to report that someone was outside her home using obscene language and may have fired a pellet gun, according to a probable cause statement from Seattle police obtained by King 5 News.

Washington Post, 14 July 2022 The changes also abolished a provision prohibiting the use of obscene language on signs.

John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2022 The Ukrainian Postal Service issued a stamp showing the soldier making an obscene gesture to the Russian cruiser Moskva, which sank in April.

New York Times, 1 July 2022 Winker, during Sunday’s scrum, later got in the face of Nevin, voicing his anger over the situation, then made an obscene gesture to the Angel Stadium crowd on his way off the field after getting ejected.

Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2022 See More

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

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.

单词	obscenely
释义	obscene adjective ob·scene äb-ˈsēn 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 Synonyms bawdy blue coarse crude dirty filthy foul gross gutter impure indecent lascivious lewd locker-room nasty pornographic porny profane raunchy ribald smutty stag trashy unprintable vulgar wanton X-rated See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences 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 For example, Baskervill wrote that Virginia law doesn't give her the specific authority to determine whether the books are obscene for minors. Ben Finley, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2022 For example, Baskervill wrote that Virginia law doesn't give her the specific authority to determine whether the books are obscene for minors. Ben Finley, ajc, 30 Aug. 2022 And subscription snack boxes keep my munchies at bay without my having to forage for the most obscene flavor of Combos at my local bodega or raid the BA test kitchen for pecan nubs left over from muffin recipe testing. Bon Appétit, 19 Apr. 2022 Cuzela implored the board to audit all of the district’s library books and get rid of those that are too obscene to be read aloud in public. NBC News, 2 Feb. 2022 On Saturday night, Jayapal called 911 to report that someone was outside her home using obscene language and may have fired a pellet gun, according to a probable cause statement from Seattle police obtained by King 5 News. Washington Post, 14 July 2022 The changes also abolished a provision prohibiting the use of obscene language on signs. John Hilliard, BostonGlobe.com, 6 July 2022 The Ukrainian Postal Service issued a stamp showing the soldier making an obscene gesture to the Russian cruiser Moskva, which sank in April. New York Times, 1 July 2022 Winker, during Sunday’s scrum, later got in the face of Nevin, voicing his anger over the situation, then made an obscene gesture to the Angel Stadium crowd on his way off the field after getting ejected. Sarah Valenzuela, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2022 See More 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 Kids Definition obscene adjective ob·scene äb-ˈsēn əb- : very shocking to a person's sense of what is moral or decent Legal Definition obscene adjective ob·scene äb-ˈsēn : 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. History and Etymology for obscene Middle French, from Latin obscenus obscaenus indecent, lewd obscenely adverb as in unreasonably Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance unreasonably unbearably unconscionably extravagantly inexcusably excessively inordinately extortionately overly inappropriately extraordinarily intolerably immoderately unusually monstrously extremely incredibly improperly unduly devilishly abnormally unacceptably exorbitantly exceptionally singularly uncommonly exceedingly remarkably terribly freakishly very too super intemperately astronomically hugely highly exceeding substantially significantly eminently considerably deadly overmuch extensively extra whacking especially mightily greatly uncustomarily Antonyms & Near Antonyms insufficiently moderately inadequately reasonably modestly acceptably slightly minimally deficiently marginally barely just hardly scarcely scantily meagerly temperately See More
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obscene

adjective

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

Legal Definition

adjective

adverb