as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire
a moralist who decried what she regarded as the licentious and corrupt culture of the entertainment industry
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Recent Examples of licentious
Whereas The Swimming-Pool Library transpires over one London summer — the last licentious gasp before AIDS— and The Line of Beauty spans the Thatcher era, Hollinghurst has lately been expanding his temporal horizons.
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Sam Worley, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2024
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
Qutb also offered Khamenei a perspective on the United States as something of a licentious society, ideas Qutb had picked up during his sojourn there in the late 1940s.
—Akbar Ganji, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013
And finally, modern far-right terrorists still frequently invoke the same libelous assertion that white women must be protected from licentious Black men.
—TIME, 14 May 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Ahmed is referring to the era in Tangier's history, beginning in the interwar period and peaking in the 1950s, when the city served as a licentious playground for a motley assortment of artists, socialites, and hedonists.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
In fact, Protestantism emerged in the 1500s in no small part as a reaction to the licentious behavior of some pilgrims and priests, the selling of indulgences to enrich the church or various members of the clergy, and the corruption that was associated with many pilgrimages of the time.
—James Mills, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2021
Sam Worley, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2024
Woodhull’s inability to counter the caricature of her as evil and licentious doomed her campaign.
—Allison Lange / Made By History, TIME, 6 Aug. 2024
Qutb also offered Khamenei a perspective on the United States as something of a licentious society, ideas Qutb had picked up during his sojourn there in the late 1940s.
—Akbar Ganji, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2013
And finally, modern far-right terrorists still frequently invoke the same libelous assertion that white women must be protected from licentious Black men.
—TIME, 14 May 2024
With his passing Thursday morning at the age of 65, Variety looks at the most memorable moments of Shane MacGowan’s licentious legacy.
—A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023
Freedom’s licentious behavior shocks many of her fellow villagers, who conclude that her bottle must have contained some powerful intoxicant.
—Salman Rushdie, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023
Ahmed is referring to the era in Tangier's history, beginning in the interwar period and peaking in the 1950s, when the city served as a licentious playground for a motley assortment of artists, socialites, and hedonists.
—Stephanie Rafanelli, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2023
In fact, Protestantism emerged in the 1500s in no small part as a reaction to the licentious behavior of some pilgrims and priests, the selling of indulgences to enrich the church or various members of the clergy, and the corruption that was associated with many pilgrimages of the time.
—James Mills, The Conversation, 24 Mar. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for licentious
Adjective
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Like her older sisters, Hunter is passionate about cheer and tumbling.Nasha Smith, People.com, 8 Dec. 2024
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The winery blends tradition with passionate winemaking.Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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During this hot summer in rural Ireland, in a reprieve from her dysfunctional family home, the girl learns care and warmth like she’s never experienced before.Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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Research shows wildfires have grown more intense in recent decades, fueled by wildfire weather (hot, dry conditions plus wind) that’s become more frequent — especially in California.Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Urias was booked into the St. Lucie County jail on counts that included lewd and lascivious behavior, burglary, possession of marijuana and battery of a law enforcement officer.WPEC Staff, Baltimore Sun, 4 Dec. 2024
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Joe Urias was arrested on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, burglary of an unoccupied structure, marijuana possession and battery on an officer, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.Christine Pelisek, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The British actor finds the humor and sensitivity in his lustful swain, and his mellifluous voice is perfectly matched to Shakespeare’s prose.Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 25 Oct. 2024
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Otto Hightower – 3 points The grandson Otto installed as king is overruling him in front of the people and getting bamboozled into ousting him as Hand by a man who trades secrets in exchange for lustful glances at Otto’s daughter’s toes.Brian Grubb, Vulture, 16 June 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near licentious
Cite this Entry
“Licentious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/licentious. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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