incestuous

adjective

in·​ces·​tu·​ous in-ˈses-chə-wəs How to pronounce incestuous (audio)
-ˈsesh-
1
: constituting or involving incest
2
: guilty of incest
3
: excessively or improperly intimate or exclusive
"… mainstream fashion magazines have an incestuous relationship with advertisers, and that undermines integrity."Ike Ude
incestuously adverb
incestuousness noun

Examples of incestuous in a Sentence

There were rumors that the father and daughter had had an incestuous relationship.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Murphy has since defended his work, which suggests that the brothers had an incestuous relationship and were abused by their parents. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 15 Oct. 2024 But the popular series has sparked some controversy over its insinuation of an incestuous relationship between Lyle and Erik, something the brothers say is untrue. Hunter Clauss, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2024 However, the series has also faced criticism from some viewers for implying in certain scenes that the brothers had an incestuous relationship. Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 4 Oct. 2024 Monsters has done great numbers on Netflix since its release, but has divided opinion due to the various liberties taken with the real case, including insinuations of an incestuous relationship between the brothers. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 3 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for incestuous 

Word History

First Known Use

1532, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of incestuous was in 1532

Dictionary Entries Near incestuous

Cite this Entry

“Incestuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/incestuous. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

incestuous

adjective
in·​ces·​tu·​ous in-ˈses-chə-wəs How to pronounce incestuous (audio)
1
: being or involving incest
2
: guilty of incest
incestuously adverb

Medical Definition

incestuous

adjective
in·​ces·​tu·​ous in-ˈses(h)-chə-wəs How to pronounce incestuous (audio)
1
: constituting or involving incest
2
: of, relating to, or guilty of incest
infantile incestuous wishes of the Oedipus complex

More from Merriam-Webster on incestuous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!