Obscene means: Offensive to standards of decency or morality.. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
obscene
Offensive to standards of decency or morality.
Seen in the wild
10 citations · last seen May 2026
Seen in the wild
BlueskyMay 2026
I'm called up to the Maltese national team My vision is impeccable, my first touch is obscene
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BlueskyMay 2026
Not to mention obscene ticket prices. Fingers crossed it’s FIFA & the idiotic Infantino who get a long overdue kicking.
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BlueskyMay 2026
Of course it's obscene, especially the amount of money that's spaffed while the average Joe and Jane are struggling to pay their bills. Just can't help admire the artistry, especially in that painted dress.
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BlueskyMay 2026
The last time I had one of these conversations, it was in the context of building more housing in these high-demand locations, which would lower the currently obscene prices people pay to live in these places of great…
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BlueskyMay 2026
'We should *never* be held hostage like this." The system that allowed Trump to run for President, to cheat to win twice, needs to be examined, its weaknesses identified and strong measures put in place. The obscene m…
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Definitions
UK
#1·Apr 27, 2026UK
Offensive to standards of decency or morality.
Origin: From (modern ), and from its , obscaenus. The further etymology is , but may be from ob- + caenum (possibly ultimately from ) or scaevus (from ). If from caenum, the unexpected extra -s- may be from a variant form of the original PIE root; a similar -s- exists in ex-. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents
Obscene means: Offensive to standards of decency or morality.. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
For ESL learners
obscene means: Offensive to standards of decency or morality.. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: approval
Heard in the wild
“This annual vulgarity honored the most obscene billionaire of them all www.rawstory.com/met-gala-267...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Less than 100 years after #JohannesGutenberg’s press in 1440, the #Catholic church put out its #IndexofForbiddenBooks. It called for severe punishment of anyone who read any of the “immoral, lascivious, or obscene” titles it listed—until 1966. #PornStudies”
— Bluesky· May 2026“On the heels of the obscene Met Gals, THIS story strikes a cord: www.cnn.com/videos/title...”
— Bluesky· May 2026“What a terrible human being 47 is. Any opportunity to "own the Libs," even when in the presence of children, he is obscene!”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Wrapping their rapacious exploitation up in the flag. Obscene.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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UK
#2·Apr 27, 2026UK
Disgusting or repulsive.
What is obscene today may not be so tomorrow or what is obscene at one place may not be obscene at another place.
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UK
#3·Apr 27, 2026UK
Lewd or lustful.
Heard in the wild
“I'm called up to the Maltese national team My vision is impeccable, my first touch is obscene”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Not to mention obscene ticket prices. Fingers crossed it’s FIFA & the idiotic Infantino who get a long overdue kicking.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“Of course it's obscene, especially the amount of money that's spaffed while the average Joe and Jane are struggling to pay their bills. Just can't help admire the artistry, especially in that painted dress.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“The last time I had one of these conversations, it was in the context of building more housing in these high-demand locations, which would lower the currently obscene prices people pay to live in these places of great natural beauty.”
— Bluesky· May 2026“'We should *never* be held hostage like this." The system that allowed Trump to run for President, to cheat to win twice, needs to be examined, its weaknesses identified and strong measures put in place. The obscene money swamping our elections is the place to start.”
— Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Other words near "obscene" (O)
objectionobjectsonaobject thingyobligatedOB markerobs and gynaeobseshobstacle raceobstetrician-gynecologistobstinaciousobstropulousnessobstruction of justice
Browse all slang words starting with O.