lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

1

a

: obscene, vulgar

lewd remarks

b

: sexually unchaste or licentious (see licentious sense 1)

lewd behavior

2

obsolete : evil, wicked

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun

Synonyms

• bawdy
• blue
• coarse
• crude
• dirty
• filthy
• foul
• gross
• gutter
• impure
• indecent
• lascivious
• locker-room
• nasty
• obscene
• pornographic
• porny
• profane
• raunchy
• ribald
• smutty
• stag
• trashy
• unprintable
• vulgar
• wanton
• X-rated

Examples of lewd in a Sentence

He made lewd remarks to the woman at the bar.

bystanders were shocked by the lewd behavior of the couple in the park

Recent Examples on the Web

Davis was charged with murder, kidnapping, burglary, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and attempted lewd acts on a child. —Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 31 May 2024

In a recent interview, Ms. Baden admitted to calling her a lewd epithet. —Jodi Kantor, New York Times, 28 May 2024

He was sentenced to 135-years-to-life in prison on multiple charges of lewd acts on a child, prosecutors said. —Paloma Chavez, Sacramento Bee, 27 May 2024

One famous example is Microsoft’s Tay, a chatbot that was meant to appeal to millennials but turned lewd and racist in less than 24 hours. —Casey Sackett, IEEE Spectrum, 26 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English lewed vulgar, from Old English lǣwede laical, ignorant

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Kids Definition

lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

1

: showing interest in sex in a rude manner

lewd behavior

2

: indecent

lewd remarks

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun

Legal Definition

lewd

adjective

ˈlüd 

: involving or being sexual conduct that is considered indecent or offensive : licentious

convicted of lewd and lascivious assault upon a child

—National Law Journal

lewdly adverb

lewdness noun