vulgar

adjective

ˈvəl-gər How to pronounce vulgar (audio)
Definition of vulgarnext
1
as in low
belonging to the class of people of low social or economic rank paintings that appeal to vulgar tastes

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2
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society a warning about the movie's vulgar language

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3
as in general
held by or applicable to a majority of the people the vulgar opinion is that the nation is in decline

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4
as in crass
lacking in refinement or good taste vulgar behavior shown by someone who's made a lot of money and wants everyone to know it

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5
as in colloquial
used in or suitable for speech and not formal writing Latin was once the language of scholars, and English the vulgar language used by the common people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word vulgar different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of vulgar are coarse, gross, obscene, and ribald. While all these words mean "offensive to good taste or morals," vulgar often implies boorishness or ill-breeding.

a loud vulgar belch

When is it sensible to use coarse instead of vulgar?

While the synonyms coarse and vulgar are close in meaning, coarse implies roughness, rudeness, or crudeness of spirit, behavior, or language.

found the coarse humor of coworkers offensive

When might gross be a better fit than vulgar?

The synonyms gross and vulgar are sometimes interchangeable, but gross implies extreme coarseness and insensitiveness.

gross eating habits

In what contexts can obscene take the place of vulgar?

While in some cases nearly identical to vulgar, obscene applies to anything strongly repulsive to the sense of decency and propriety especially in sexual matters.

obscene language not allowed on the air

Where would ribald be a reasonable alternative to vulgar?

In some situations, the words ribald and vulgar are roughly equivalent. However, ribald applies to what is amusingly or picturesquely vulgar or irreverent or mildly indecent.

entertained the campers with ribald folk songs

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of vulgar But this original iteration of Call Her Daddy was vulgar, transgressive, and short-lived. — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026 Aiyuk appears to direct two common insults at the subject of the video — almost certainly the 49ers — by using the literal, nonprofane meanings of the terms rather than saying the vulgar words themselves. — Sean Campbell, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026 Wembanyama missed seven shots from the floor, going 11 of 18 and silencing the crowd that at one point directed a vulgar chant his way. — Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 9 June 2026 When a handful of renderings leaked prematurely, the initial reactions focused on ostensibly vulgar details, especially bronze accents that looked implausibly golden in the renderings and a presidential seal etched on one wall. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for vulgar
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vulgar
  1. low
  2. obscene
  3. general
  4. crass
  5. colloquial
  6. ignoble
  7. pornographic
  8. prevailing
Adjective
  • The funeral, which ends Thursday, was supposed to be a period of lower tensions.
    — Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Locally heavy rain will quickly reduce visibility and result in ponding of water on roadways, standing water in low lying areas, and minor flooding of creeks, streams, and areas of poor drainage.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026
Definition of low
Adjective
  • Jackson then allegedly drove over into another lane and swerved at the victim, while using an obscene hand gesture.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • The obscene pay of CEOs, growing 20 times as fast as workers’ pay last year, and the obscene wealth in the tech world, with money cascading into the hands of greedy billionaires who lack empathy or even noblesse oblige.
    — Maureen Dowd, Mercury News, 4 July 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • Others, like Chevanni Davids, a 33-year-old South African man living in Bali, use them to maintain a general sense of well-being.
    — Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Ukraine's military general staff said Monday that the strike caused a fire at the facility, which is situated nearly 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) from Ukrainian territory and close to Russia's border with Kazakhstan.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 7 July 2026
Definition of general
Adjective
  • Like a more crass, animated Seinfeld, Rocko deals with the mundanities and absurdities of daily life.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 June 2026
  • With the games having kicked off, the sport has shown its ineffable power to supplant crass and capitalistic overreach.
    — Emily Olsen, New York Times, 16 June 2026
Definition of crass
Adjective
  • Its name refers to the colloquial term once used for Papaya—paw-paw.
    — Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 30 May 2026
  • The Solons name refers to an ancient Greek lawmaker, whose name later became a colloquial term for wise legislators, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 29 May 2026
Definition of colloquial
Adjective
  • This is an ignoble war making monsters and fools out of its participants, and against the uncontrollable weapons that are dragons, everyone’s resolve is crumbling.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 18 June 2026
  • The most memorable, and notorious, moment from the race was the ignoble exit of Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell.
    — Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Definition of ignoble
Adjective
  • Gibson asked for pornographic images of the minor, and sent photos of himself, according to court documents.
    — Kendrick Calfee June 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
  • While Washington drags its feet, kids across the nation are being exposed to vile, pornographic images and ads with no meaningful safeguards to prevent it.
    — Rachel del Guidice, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026
Definition of pornographic
Adjective
  • The group noted the projection was revised upward from an earlier estimate owing to an additional year in the budget window and higher prevailing interest rates.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Likewise, prevailing concepts of Hamlet at the time cast the prince as a wan and melancholic, leading critics to bristle at Bernhardt’s energy.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 18 Mar. 2026
Definition of prevailing

Browse Nearby Words

voyeurs
vulgar
vulgarian
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Cite this Entry

“Vulgar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vulgar. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of vulgar for Spanish Speakers

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