1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society
some of the movie's most ribald, and thus funniest, scenes were cut for showing on broadcast television
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent
a ribald tale rife with double entendres and racy innuendo
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ribald
But Beforeigners eschews the supernatural, and the campier teen soap elements, to deliver a thoughtful, moving, and often quite ribald and funny tale of various worlds colliding.
—
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a new series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2020
Later, Society members on the city commission pulled funding from a chamber-of-commerce event, citing concerns about an allegedly ribald country-and-western band.
—Emma Green, The Atlantic, 12 Dec. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2019
The Los Angeles artist, known for her ribald depictions of middle-aged men and babies (and baby men) wreaking all manner of havoc (bodily and otherwise), is presenting a new series of paintings and videos.
—Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for ribald
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ribald
Adjective
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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
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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
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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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Climate change vandals spray-painted a Tesla car dealership in Manhattan on Tuesday to protest Elon Musk’s work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), but as police arrived, the activists could be seen cleaning off some of the vulgar writing.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Two of the protesters are facing counts including obstructing a law enforcement officer and simple battery on a law enforcement officer, while a third has been charged with using vulgar language, according to Acworth police.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For decor, Pollock says to let bold colors and spicy details bring the flavor.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2025
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Its specialties include spicy dishes like papaya salad, grilled meats and sticky rice.—
Liz Rothaus Bertrand,
Charlotte Observer,
16 May 2025
Adjective
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Lawrence Lamont’s bawdy buddy comedy One of Them Days—in which Keke Palmer and SZA play best friends who spend a crazy day trying to scrape together $1500 in rent money—opened in January and stayed in theaters for more than two months before shifting to Netflix in early April.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
7 May 2025
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Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson established themselves as something of a 21st century Abbott & Costello (or, at the very least, Cheech & Chong) with this bawdy 2005 smash directed and co-written by David Dobkin.—
Jason Bailey,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Ketel Marte hit a solo home run around the right-field foul pole.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2025
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Four pitches into the game, Willy Adames crushed a hanging 1-2 slider for what appeared to be a solo home run, only for the call to be overturned by replay, the ball swerving just left of the foul pole.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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The apps have a nasty trick that fools users into the initial download, and once on a phone, the damage is done.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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He’s been the spirit of the Panthers’ skillfully nasty style the previous two springs.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Coal plants are also the dirtiest fossil fuel in terms of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions.—
Sammy Roth,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2025
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They were bullied, beaten, humiliated, tortured and shot, with productive laborers crammed on top of one another in the dirty stone barracks—separately from the Jewish prisoners, whose numbers grew ever larger.—
Paul Hockenos,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ribald.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ribald. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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