prurient
adjective
pru·ri·ent ˈpru̇r-ē-ənt 
: marked by or arousing an immoderate or unwholesome interest or desire
especially : marked by, arousing, or appealing to sexual desire
pruriently adverb
Example Sentences
He took a prurient interest in her personal life. a book that appealed to the prurient curiosity of its readers
Recent Examples on the Web Both doctors took advantage of young women to satisfy their prurient desires. 
Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2022 But the story about the undersecretary and the African American train porters was simply too prurient to print. James Kirchick, Washington Post, 15 June 2022 Watching this trial has felt alternatingly prurient and surreal, the kind of trial in which Marilyn Manson is casually listed as a Thanksgiving dinner guest at one of Johnny Depp’s penthouses. Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 The scene resembled the summoning of a cult leader, and the Dominican firebrand Tokischa, a rapper known for her prurient lyrics and high-profile collaborations, emerged onstage. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022 The Kardashian family journey from prurient notoriety to in-control role models has long since happened. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 11 Apr. 2022 But this year the interest is also a little more prurient. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2022 There are parts of that scrolling that feel prurient. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2022 But part of the prurient thrill of reality TV is being invited to stay and see the squirmy interior lives of others. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2022 See More
Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2022 But the story about the undersecretary and the African American train porters was simply too prurient to print. James Kirchick, Washington Post, 15 June 2022 Watching this trial has felt alternatingly prurient and surreal, the kind of trial in which Marilyn Manson is casually listed as a Thanksgiving dinner guest at one of Johnny Depp’s penthouses. Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 1 June 2022 The scene resembled the summoning of a cult leader, and the Dominican firebrand Tokischa, a rapper known for her prurient lyrics and high-profile collaborations, emerged onstage. New York Times, 13 Apr. 2022 The Kardashian family journey from prurient notoriety to in-control role models has long since happened. Daniel D'addario, Variety, 11 Apr. 2022 But this year the interest is also a little more prurient. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Apr. 2022 There are parts of that scrolling that feel prurient. Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2022 But part of the prurient thrill of reality TV is being invited to stay and see the squirmy interior lives of others. Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Latin prurient-, pruriens, present participle of prurire to itch, crave; akin to Latin pruna glowing coal, Sanskrit ploṣati he singes, and probably to Latin pruina hoarfrost — more at freeze
First Known Use
1592, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
prurient
adjective
pru·ri·ent ˈpru̇r-ē-ənt
: marked by or arousing an unwholesome sexual interest or desire
prurient
adjective
as in unpublishable
formal + usually disapproving having or showing too much interest in sex He took a prurient interest in their personal life. a book that appealed to the prurient curiosity of its readers Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- unpublishable
- warm
- spicy
- obscene
- lascivious
- pornographic
- smutty
- indecent
- raunchy
- suggestive
- filthy
- gutter
- vulgar
- risqué
- lewd
- ribald
- unprintable
- porny
- bawdy
- dirty
- racy
- naughty
- X-rated
- leering
- gross
- crude
- gamy
- stag
- nasty
- salty
- locker-room
- blue
- off-color
- off
- gamey
- off-colored
- indelicate
- indecorous
- coarse
- earthy
- barnyard
- immodest
- foul
- coarse-grained
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- innocuous
- puritanical
- clean
- decent
- prudish
- inoffensive
- G-rated
- priggish
- nonobscene
- straitlaced
- staid
- straightlaced
- prim
- proper
- genteel
- decorous
- polite
- correct
- respectable
- seemly
- nice
- Victorian