indecent

[ in-dee-suhnt ]

adjective

1. offending against generally accepted standards of propriety or good taste; improper; vulgar:

   indecent jokes; indecent language; indecent behavior.

   Synonyms: licentious, lewd, filthy, obscene, gross, rude, outrageous, coarse, indelicate, indecorous, immodest, distasteful

2. not decent; unbecoming or unseemly:

   indecent haste.

   Synonyms: inappropriate

   Antonyms: becoming, appropriate

indecent

/ ɪnˈdiːsənt /

adjective

1. offensive to standards of decency, esp in sexual matters
2. unseemly or improper (esp in the phrase indecent haste )

Derived Forms

• inˈdecently, adverb

Other Words From

• in·decent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of indecent¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin indecent- (stem of indecēns ) “unseemly.” See in- ³, decent

Synonym Study

See improper.

Example Sentences

The 49-year-old is also charged with five counts of indecent assault against a girl under 16 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, between 1989 and 1990, when he was a teenager.

From BBC

In September, he was given a six-month suspended prison sentence after he admitted charges involving indecent images of children.

From BBC

Edwards was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after he admitted charges of making indecent images of children.

From BBC

In 2008, allegations of indecent assault against a 15-year-old girl were made against Al Fayed and it was covered in the press at the time.

From BBC

He has also ordered the installation of surveillance cameras in courts and ministries to combat "indecent and illicit acts".

From BBC

Related Words

• filthy
• immoral
• improper
• lewd
• obscene
• off-color
• outrageous
• ridiculous
• salacious
• shocking
• tasteless
• unbecoming
• unseemly
• vile