1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love
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2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire
in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end
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3
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
a wanton attack on unarmed civilians
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of wanton
Daniel Tepfer, Connecticut Post, 22 Oct. 2024
Santa Fe is a long way from Chicago, however, and just like with wanton waste, the state of New Mexico has some pretty strong feelings about feeding squirrels and other wildlife.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 10 Oct. 2024
Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 4 Feb. 2024
Brenda Chilton, 71, William Mahoney, 72, Codey Johnson, 29, and Tammy Simmons, 52, all of Carrollton, were arrested and charged with first-degree criminal abuse and first-degree wanton endangerment.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wanton 
Adjective
The judge stated that the lawsuit could continue on one count, that Martinez’s claimed willful, wanton and reckless misconduct caused Nixon’s death.
—Daniel Tepfer, Connecticut Post, 22 Oct. 2024
Santa Fe is a long way from Chicago, however, and just like with wanton waste, the state of New Mexico has some pretty strong feelings about feeding squirrels and other wildlife.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 10 Oct. 2024
Noun
Smith was taken into custody and charged with wanton endangerment, disorderly conduct, menacing and resisting arrest.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 4 Feb. 2024
Brenda Chilton, 71, William Mahoney, 72, Codey Johnson, 29, and Tammy Simmons, 52, all of Carrollton, were arrested and charged with first-degree criminal abuse and first-degree wanton endangerment.
—Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for wanton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanton
Adjective
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Of course, obscene content has been censored, and services that clearly broke intellectual property laws, like Napster, WikiLeaks, and The Pirate Bay were shuttered, but, for the average person, the internet remained broadly open in the United States.Callum Booth, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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There have now been 21 fines due to obscene gestures this season.Ryan Morik, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The newlyweds wake up hungry after a passionate wedding night, which is when Mel remembers that Charmaine never did turn up yesterday.Sara Netzley, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024
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But the importance of bird conservation does not start or end with one passionate 21-year-old.Eliza Principe Garcia, Baltimore Sun, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The gods prove cruel but not omnipotent, and the modern settings exert their own redemptive pull; the final effect is that of a magic trick, in which the characters manage, in each film’s miraculous closing moments, to slip the bonds of tragedy.Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2024
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Some Rochester residents disagree and find their city’s methods excessively cruel to the birds.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
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In one scene, Walker watches as Choppa flirts with a woman during her own photoshoot.Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2024
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Polite flirts often focus on building a connection slowly, ensuring that their behavior aligns with social norms and avoids any form of inappropriate advances.Mark Travers, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Deadpool & Wolverine was far more graphic and vulgar than previous Marvel Studios projects — but one of its especially dirty lines didn't make the cut.Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 30 Nov. 2024
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With Election Day on the horizon, Elon Musk is leaning into violent and vulgar rhetoric.Bruna Horvath, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Film studios in particular are viewed as brand-builders in an era where IP is still in hot demand.Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Dec. 2024
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The massive Intel semiconductor plant coming to Licking County is always a hot topic.Andrew King, Axios, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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New York State Attorney General Letitia James released body camera footage on Friday showing the brutal attack on Robert Brooks at the Marcy Correctional Facility in Marcy, NY.Melissa Noel, Essence, 31 Dec. 2024
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Amorim acted on 33 minutes in what became a brutal, surreal spectacle.Laurie Whitwell, The Athletic, 31 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
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Cite this Entry
“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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