wanton 1 of 2

adjective

ˈwȯn-tᵊn How to pronounce wanton (audio)
Definition of wantonnext
1
as in obscene
depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in passionate
having a strong sexual desire in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others a wanton attack on unarmed civilians

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

wanton

2 of 2

noun

as in flirt
a person who playfully shows another amorous attention quite the wanton when he wants to be

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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 wanton
Adjective
Anna Bencosme, 28, was booked into jail on charges of strangulation, endangering the welfare of a minor, and wanton endangerment on Tuesday, April 28, online records show. — Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026 Maison Des Champs, 26, was sentenced Monday to a 364-day jail term, with all but 45 days suspended, and one year of probation after pleading guilty to a gross misdemeanor charge of acting with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of people or property, according to court records. — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Additional charges included negligently driving a vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, endangering property, life, and person, as well as recklessly driving a vehicle in wanton and willful disregard for the safety of persons and property. — Diane J. Cho, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 His characters enjoy casual conversation but don’t brook wanton confession. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wanton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wanton
  1. obscene
  2. passionate
  3. cruel
  4. flirt
  5. vulgar
  6. hot
  7. brutal
  8. pornographic
Adjective
  • State Farm Arena policy prohibits clothing displaying explicit language, profanity or derogatory characterizations, while the NBA Fan Code of Conduct prohibits obscene or indecent messages on clothing.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Tarrant County decorum policy prohibits personal attacks and impertinent, profane, obscene or slanderous remarks.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscene
Adjective
  • The president of the new campus is Tamekia Morris, a passionate advocate for getting more women into skilled trades.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Those who visit annually or several times during the year are deeply passionate about the live shows, character meet-and-greets, holiday food specials, seasonal festivals and parades and nighttime spectaculars that these parks provide.
    — Sarah Whitten, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of passionate
Adjective
  • Oleksa watches them from the other end of the camera feed, in the middle of a gnarly interrogation with Kyle and Cruz — the latter silently watching Oleksa go through a cruel facsimile of her own violent recruitment crucible in the first season.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Murder charge 'cruel and unusual,' advocate says Of cases where a child was unknowingly left in a car, about 41% do not lead to criminal charges against caregivers, Rollins said.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Noun
  • One of the most charming performances in a show that has many of them comes from Bo Bragason as Oona, a bubbly lesbian flirt whose mom has jetted off to India, leaving her in charge of her little sister (Mabel Strachan) and their houseboat.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This is a strong day to pitch, perform, flirt, draft, or share something that feels alive.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
Definition of flirt
Adjective
  • But the school’s dress code prohibits messages that are lewd, indecent, vulgar or profane.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Lonnie is loud, obnoxious, and vulgar in ways that rankle traditional golfers.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
Definition of vulgar
Adjective
  • The latest scorcher comes after Western Europe recorded its hottest June and July on record, according to Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitor.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • In 2012, American entrepreneur Christopher Burch and hot-shot hotelier James McBride took over and zhuzhed it up to the tune of 30 million dollars, launching Nihi into the league of one-percenter hideaways.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of hot
Adjective
  • What follows is a brutal fight for survival against aggressive, hungry, and carnivorous dinosaurs who quickly turn the community's previously idyllic streets into their own personal feeding ground.
    — Megan McCluskey, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The company's earnings should also benefit from a better freight cycle, which has shown signs of improvement after a brutal multiyear recession that began in 2022.
    — Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of brutal
Adjective
  • The employees also sent pornographic magazines with David Steiner’s name to a neighbor’s home and planned to install a GPS device on the couple’s car.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
  • In 2014, Andrew Tate began his pornographic webcamming empire, recruiting women by dating and plying them with gifts.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 22 July 2026
Definition of pornographic

Browse Nearby Words

wanting
wanton
wantonly
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Cite this Entry

“Wanton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wanton. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of wanton for Spanish Speakers

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