as in warm
formal + usually disapproving
having or showing too much interest in sex
He took a prurient interest in their personal life. a book that appealed to the prurient curiosity of its readers
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Recent Examples of prurient
Traditionally, these sorts of pictures have allowed producers to peddle items of prurient interest under cover of edification, while maintaining an attitude of moral superiority that would have made little sense to the people the show is about.
—
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2024
In the decades that followed, the media took a similarly prurient tack in its coverage of women’s competitive swimming.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
But beyond it, Morgan sketches a real Manhattan ruled by prurient and destructive masculine appetites, from subway tunnels occupied by ad hoc homeless communities to office towers where the city’s most powerful residents impose their wills on millions of fellow New Yorkers.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 31 May 2024
That might also have had something to do with a male protagonist being less subject to the prurient aspects of Sorrentino’s gaze.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2024
In the decades that followed, the media took a similarly prurient tack in its coverage of women’s competitive swimming.
—Sophia Stewart, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024
But beyond it, Morgan sketches a real Manhattan ruled by prurient and destructive masculine appetites, from subway tunnels occupied by ad hoc homeless communities to office towers where the city’s most powerful residents impose their wills on millions of fellow New Yorkers.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 31 May 2024
That might also have had something to do with a male protagonist being less subject to the prurient aspects of Sorrentino’s gaze.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 May 2024
See All Example Sentences for prurient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prurient
Adjective
-
The room, once decorated in severe tones of black and gray, has received a warm makeover, with bright paint and tropical mosaics.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
4 May 2025
-
The Clara IEMs have a warm bass, a forward midrange and a silky treble that’s just sharp enough to bring the soundstage into perfect focus without making the listener’s brain work overtime top descramble distortion.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
Adjective
-
Most of my writing energy went into composing my vast unpublishable novels, one and then another.—
Andrew Cockburn,
Harper's Magazine,
22 Aug. 2024
-
Contemporary critics tend to breeze through the last two decades of Schwartz’s life, hitting only the saddest events: the second divorce; the increasing alcoholism; the unpublishable poems, many written during bouts of mania; the money problems; the undignified death.—
Maggie Doherty,
The New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2024
Adjective
-
Simple things like eating more protein, high-intensity interval training, lifting weights, avoiding skipping meals, drinking the right things, eating more spicy foods, and getting enough sleep can all significantly increase your metabolic rate.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
1 May 2025
-
To correct for this, astronauts tend to prefer spicy foods or adding spicy sauces, like sriracha, tabasco or red pepper paste.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
The investigation began when detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit served a search warrant in Bakersfield based on a tip about a person who was in possession and used obscene material involving an underage girl, authorities announced in a news release on Tuesday.—
Nathan Solis,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2025
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With his plea, a federal indictment relating to transfer of obscene material to a minor would not be pursued.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
While the minor’s age was redacted in documents, she was arrested and charged with seven felony counts of lewd or lascivious behavior, specifically lewd or lascivious battery of a victim aged 12 to 16, according to jail records viewed by PEOPLE.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
1 May 2025
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Nathaniel Ray Diaz, of Greenfield, was convicted in September 2023 of committing lewd and lascivious acts against a minor under 14 and criminal threats after he was accused of harming the girl, who was 12 at the time, court documents say.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacbee.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The juvenile in Canada was charged with indecent communications, uttering threats, public mischief and mischief over $5,000.—
Muri Assunção,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2025
-
Cowan was arrested in August 2011 and charged with Daniel’s murder, indecent treatment and interfering with a corpse, the report states.—
Nicole Acosta,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Those disparities are suggestive of gaps seen in remote-work patterns: Wealthier, urban Californians are more likely to work from home than lower-income, rural residents.—
Phillip Reese,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
-
James was pictured in a suggestive gorilla-like pose, mouth open wide, as his right hand dribbled a ball with the other wrapped around Bundchen’s waist.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
7 May 2025
Adjective
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At least 12 outside experts submitted testimony in what’s called the Dunsmore case, finding that San Diego jails are filthy and that workers regularly fail to follow best practices or department policies.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2025
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So The Righteous Gemstones went with the sentimental ending — or at least what counts for a sentimental ending in a series so committed to the filthiest possible turns of phrase.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Prurient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prurient. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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