bawdy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈbȯ-dē How to pronounce bawdy (audio)
bawdier; bawdiest
Synonyms of bawdynext
1
: boisterously or humorously indecent
bawdy jokes
2
: obscene, lewd
a bawdy comedian
bawdily
ˈbȯ-də-lē How to pronounce bawdy (audio)
adverb
bawdiness
ˈbȯ-dē-nəs How to pronounce bawdy (audio)
noun

bawdy

2 of 2

noun

: bawdry sense 2

Synonyms of bawdy

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Adjective

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Examples of bawdy in a Sentence

Adjective a bawdy film that is not appropriate for children a bawdy comment about someone you work with could get you fired
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.
Adjective
Penélope Cruz arrives for a few scenes as a wartime cabaret singer — her performance for a group of cheering soldiers is a burst of bawdy energy. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 In Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo’s La Bola Negra (Netflix), Cruz plays a bawdy cabaret singer entertaining troops during the Spanish Civil War. — Scott Feinberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026 Cruz surfaces in it as a bawdy cabaret singer, a role the size of a cameo that critics off the Croisette and now here at Telluride have already tagged a scene-stealer. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 With the candy-floss hair and knock-‘em-out curves, Dolly Parton has made a living off her bawdy, larger-than-life image. — Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for bawdy

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

bawd + -y entry 1

Noun

probably from bawdy entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1513, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1656, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bawdy was circa 1513

Phrases Containing bawdy

Rhymes for bawdy

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Browse Nearby Words

bawdry
bawdy
bawdy house
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Cite this Entry

“Bawdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bawdy. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

bawdy

adjective
ˈbȯd-ē
bawdier; bawdiest
: morally objectionable : obscene
bawdily
ˈbȯd-ᵊl-ē
adverb
bawdiness
ˈbȯd-ē-nəs
noun
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