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 )

Other Word Forms

• indecently 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

When another officer took over the indecent images investigation and was informed of the report of blackmail, it was discovered that the text had been sent from Thompson's personal mobile phone.

From BBC

Last month, he was found guilty of 17 indecent assaults against nine women.

From BBC

The men may have been found guilty of anything from indecent exposure to viewing abusive images online to contact offences involving children.

From BBC

He was recalled to prison in 2010 for having indecent child images on his computer and breaching parole conditions.

From BBC

An MSP hosted a group of girl guides at the Scottish Parliament days after he was charged with possessing indecent images of children.

From BBC

Related Words

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