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
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Sarver was suspended this week, plus fined $10 million, after an investigation showed a pattern of lewd, misogynistic, and racist speech and conduct during his 18 years as owner of the Suns. 
Tim Reynolds, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Sarver was suspended this week, plus fined $10 million, after an investigation showed a pattern of lewd, misogynistic, and racist speech and conduct during his 18 years as owner of the Suns. CBS News, 16 Sep. 2022 Sarver was suspended this week, plus fined $10 million, after an investigation showed a pattern of lewd, misogynistic, and racist speech and conduct during his 18 years as owner of the Suns. Tim Reynolds, ajc, 16 Sep. 2022 The movie's trailer dropped back in August, showing the aftermath of a lewd video circulating the high school. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2022 The lewd nature of the Lewinsky affair, Starr's ubiquitous interactions with the press, and Clinton's own efforts to obscure his actions made global headlines on a near-daily basis in the late 1990s. Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The legislation, approved Monday on the Senate floor in a 37-0 vote, comes after reports of men using the AirDrop iPhone feature to send lewd pictures to nearby strangers or on online dating apps without consent from the recipients. Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 Jayson Boebert was previously arrested in 2004 and pleaded guilty to public indecency and lewd exposure after exposing himself to two minors in a bowling alley. al, 14 Aug. 2022 And the lewd tweets were all part of a marketing ploy for the RadioShack Crypto platform. Allison Morrow, CNN, 30 June 2022 See More
Tim Reynolds, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2022 Sarver was suspended this week, plus fined $10 million, after an investigation showed a pattern of lewd, misogynistic, and racist speech and conduct during his 18 years as owner of the Suns. CBS News, 16 Sep. 2022 Sarver was suspended this week, plus fined $10 million, after an investigation showed a pattern of lewd, misogynistic, and racist speech and conduct during his 18 years as owner of the Suns. Tim Reynolds, ajc, 16 Sep. 2022 The movie's trailer dropped back in August, showing the aftermath of a lewd video circulating the high school. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 15 Sep. 2022 The lewd nature of the Lewinsky affair, Starr's ubiquitous interactions with the press, and Clinton's own efforts to obscure his actions made global headlines on a near-daily basis in the late 1990s. Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The legislation, approved Monday on the Senate floor in a 37-0 vote, comes after reports of men using the AirDrop iPhone feature to send lewd pictures to nearby strangers or on online dating apps without consent from the recipients. Mackenzie Mays, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2022 Jayson Boebert was previously arrested in 2004 and pleaded guilty to public indecency and lewd exposure after exposing himself to two minors in a bowling alley. al, 14 Aug. 2022 And the lewd tweets were all part of a marketing ploy for the RadioShack Crypto platform. Allison Morrow, CNN, 30 June 2022 See More 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
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
National Law Journallewd
adjective
1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society bystanders were shocked by the lewd behavior of the couple in the park Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- obscene
- pornographic
- vulgar
- foul
- nasty
- filthy
- dirty
- lascivious
- indecent
- suggestive
- raunchy
- naughty
- crude
- bawdy
- gross
- ribald
- offensive
- profane
- smutty
- unacceptable
- disgusting
- obnoxious
- unpleasant
- impure
- trashy
- abusive
- coarse
- blue
- undesirable
- unprintable
- wanton
- unwanted
- gutter
- porny
- X-rated
- risqué
- salacious
- stag
- perverted
- wicked
- infamous
- indecorous
- scatological
- depraved
- broad
- locker-room
- racy
- indelicate
- immodest
- objectionable
- kinky
- soft
- repulsive
- perverse
- revolting
- unbecoming
- repugnant
- loathsome
- unwelcome
- distasteful
- off-color
- off
- salty
- abhorrent
- earthy
- louche
- off-colored
- scurrilous
- gamy
- low
- barnyard
- reprehensible
- exceptionable
- debasing
- censurable
- repellent
- atrocious
- blameworthy
- coarse-grained
- blamable
- gamey
- repellant
- soft-core
- hard-core
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- wholesome
- prudish
- puritanical
- clean
- decent
- innocuous
- polite
- priggish
- proper
- correct
- decorous
- staid
- nice
- straitlaced
- respectable
- prim
- acceptable
- genteel
- G-rated
- seemly
- pleasant
- desirable
- appropriate
- inoffensive
- nonobscene
- agreeable
- suitable
- pleasing
- straightlaced
- welcome
- pure
- perfect
- meet
- becoming
- Victorian
- virginal
- immaculate
- fit
- spotless
- approved
- sanctioned
- endorsed
- indorsed
2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire a lewd 18th-century nobleman who left behind hundreds of erotic love letters Synonyms & Similar Words
- passionate
- lascivious
- hot
- lustful
- salacious
- licentious
- libidinous
- randy
- lecherous
- horny
- immoral
- aroused
- lubricious
- oversexed
- corrupt
- hypersexual
- satyric
- concupiscent
- wanton
- goatish
- excited
- itchy
- lubricous
- indecent
- promiscuous
- degraded
- depraved
- easy
- dissolute
- debauched
- libertine
- dissolute
- loose
- fast
- degenerate
- debased
- dissipated
- decadent
- dissipated
- demoralized
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- virtuous
- chaste
- pure
- frigid
- moral
- undersexed
- modest
- decent
- immaculate
- celibate
- innocent
- monkish
- virginal
- prudish
- monastic
- puritanical
- maidenly
- priggish
- straightlaced
- straitlaced
- prim
- lily-white
- Victorian
3
as in suggestive
hinting at or intended to call to mind matters regarded as indecent a nearby diner kept telling lewd jokes until we told him to shut up Synonyms & Similar Words
- suggestive
- spicy
- vulgar
- risqué
- bawdy
- ribald
- naughty
- racy
- obscene
- blue
- pornographic
- crude
- off-color
- salty
- off
- off-colored
- gamy
- nasty
- indecent
- lascivious
- coarse
- raunchy
- foul
- filthy
- leering
- gamey
- dirty
- smutty
- prurient
- gross
- indecorous
- warm
- unprintable
- earthy
- indelicate
- immodest
- barnyard
- unpublishable
- porny
- X-rated
- gutter
- stag
- coarse-grained
- locker-room
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- innocuous
- decent
- clean
- inoffensive
- prudish
- G-rated
- puritanical
- nonobscene
- priggish
- polite
- staid
- straightlaced
- straitlaced
- decorous
- prim
- proper
- nice
- seemly
- genteel
- respectable
- correct
- Victorian