revenge porn

noun

variants or less commonly revenge pornography
: sexually explicit images of a person posted online without that person's consent especially as a form of revenge or harassment
Vermont last week became the latest state to criminalize so-called revenge porn—the sharing of sexually explicit photos or videos of a person without consent … . Under the law signed by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, distributing nude or sexual images of someone with the intent to cause harm will be a misdemeanor. Doing it to make money—such as through extortion—will be a felony offense punishable by up to five years in prison.editorial, The Boston Globe, 24 June 2015
In 2011, after a bitter break-up, her ex-boyfriend uploaded dozens of photos of her naked to a porn website, along with her contact details and the name of the school where she works. That made her one of a growing number of victims of "revenge porn": the non-consensual publication online of explicit images, often by an ex-boyfriend seeking to wound.The Economist, 5 July 2014

Word History

First Known Use

2007, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of revenge porn was in 2007

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Dictionary Entries Near revenge porn

Cite this Entry

“Revenge porn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/revenge%20porn. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.

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