prurient

adjective

Definition of prurientnext
as in warm
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

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prurient Space exploration is a symbol of science at its most sophisticated, but the subject has always elicited a few prurient chuckles among civilians about what day-to-day life must really be like for the astronauts. — Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2026 Once printed, less prurient versions of these portraits would be displayed below the marquee at the Teatro Maipo, like religious icons in a vending machine, on the street-level exterior of the venue. — Bryan Barcena, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026 The result was a niche-celebrity soap opera, generating an explosion of publicity and social-media commentary and mesmerizing a public whose interest, whether prurient or high-minded, appeared inexhaustible. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2025 The desire to know the answer to those questions is not a matter of prurient nosiness. — Mick Lasalle, San Francisco Chronicle, 13 Feb. 2024 See All Example Sentences for prurient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prurient
  1. warm
  2. unpublishable
  3. spicy
  4. obscene
  5. lascivious
  6. pornographic
  7. indecent
  8. suggestive
Adjective
  • Thanks to warm, dry and windy conditions, the fire — named Smokehouse Creek fire — rapidly spread, becoming the largest fire in Texas history.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
  • At a little under two feet, the can’t-miss fixture spreads a warm light that creates a welcoming atmosphere for reading, relaxing, or sharing drinks without harsh overhead lighting or a spindly, corner-lurking, fluorescent presence.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of warm
Adjective
  • Which was a fun mid-century technique to render a pic unpublishable.
    — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 22 Aug. 2025
  • But much of what’s popping up on Substack is appealingly specific, the kind of stuff that’s unpublishable elsewhere.
    — Emma Alpern, Vulture, 2 July 2025
Definition of unpublishable
Adjective
  • Nightcap is a deliciously addictive gourmand, blending cozy vanilla and rich woods with sparkling ginger and cardamom for a spicy-sweet twist.
    — Allure Editors, Allure, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The dish is spicy enough and not so thick with cream or flour and is a standout in the clam chowder world, according to Times reader Mary Ann Mollenkamp.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of spicy
Adjective
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Starks said the obscene gesture was meant as a joke to teammates.
    — Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • He was charged with lewd and lascivious battery on a victim 12 to 16 years old.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • He has been charged with kidnapping, molestation, lewd and lascivious exhibition, luring or enticing a child, and child abuse.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of lascivious
Adjective
  • The sheriff’s office said Ahlers had hundreds, and possibly thousands, of pornographic photos and videos of children on his hard drive.
    — Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The employees also sent pornographic magazines with David Steiner’s name to a neighbor’s home and planned to install a GPS device on the couple’s car.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of pornographic
Adjective
  • After the initial accusation, the number of women accusing Watson of indecent acts during massage therapy appointments grew to 24.
    — Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Morris pled guilty last year to charges of indecent conduct with a child and spent 6 months in an Oklahoma jail before being released in March to serve the remainder of his 10-year sentence on probation.
    — Andrea Lucia, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of indecent
Adjective
  • Messages in 2024 between Johnson and Duffey revealed the two men used suggestive language.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • They are not allowed to send or receive pornography, but there are no rules against suggestive photos.
    — Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of suggestive

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Prurient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prurient. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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