adulterous

adjective

adul·​ter·​ous ə-ˈdəl-t(ə-)rəs How to pronounce adulterous (audio)
Synonyms of adulterousnext
: relating to, characterized by, or given to adultery
an adulterous affair
an adulterous wife
adulterously adverb

Synonyms of adulterous

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Examples of adulterous in a Sentence

had an adulterous affair that nearly destroyed his marriage
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With all respect to West’s previous cheating-on-television canon, War might be his finest adulterous work. — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026 All the while, though, Dylan was also getting a taste of what was becoming Swinging London, thanks to the play’s director, Philip Saville, and Saville’s adulterous lover, a gorgeous and brilliant painter named Pauline Boty. — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026 Fiction is inherently adulterous. — Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026 But the gamesmanship, foreshadowing the adulterous antics of Harold Pinter’s plays, escalates perilously. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adulterous

Word History

Etymology

alteration (conformed to Latin adulter "impure, given to adultery") of earlier advouterous, going back to Middle English advouterose, from avowter "given to adultery" (borrowed from Anglo-French avuiltre, avoutre, going back to Latin adulter) + -ous -ous, -ose -ose entry 1 — more at adulterer

First Known Use

1550, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of adulterous was in 1550

Browse Nearby Words

adulterize
adulterous
adultery
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Cite this Entry

“Adulterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adulterous. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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Legal Definition

adulterous

adjective
adul·​ter·​ous ə-ˈdəl-tə-rəs How to pronounce adulterous (audio)
: relating to, characterized by, or given to adultery
adulterously adverb
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