1
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the barbaric wantonness with which the guards treated the prisoners of war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in grossness
the quality or state of being obscene
novels characterized chiefly by their sheer wantonness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wantonness
Noun
-
Being tied to the mast of a regime defined by cruelty and graft is a problem of another magnitude entirely.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025 -
After shifting power to the people—like a year-plus bus boycott can do, for example—and getting the government to lessen its corruption, cruelty, injustice or violence, defending those gains is a must.—
Michael Shank,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In fact, plenty of other things in your home surpass the toilet in terms of grossness.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
-
Brain rot has become unavoidable, its grossness ubiquitous.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Biden was slow to react to Netanyahu's growing brutality and, as Harris says in her book, failed to show sufficient empathy for the plight of the Gazans.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
-
The movie begins with a 10-year-old Michael already showing the brutality for which The Shape was known, then flashes forward 15 years to an adult Michael (Tyler Mane) pursuing his younger sister, Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton).—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Songs marked explicit mean their lyrics include swear words or other vulgarities.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The presence of these planes flying close to our Caribbean Sea is a vulgarity, a provocation, a threat to the security of the nation.—
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Claud has two convictions for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years of age and one conviction for open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
There is plenty of coarseness in American arenas totally unrelated to MAGA or Trumpism, of course.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
11 Oct. 2025
-
An alkaline compound, baking soda is a non-toxic cleaner with a coarseness that works wonders for scrubbing grime, removing difficult stains, and deodorizing stinky odors.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The Delhi High Court and, later, India’s Supreme Court eventually rejected calls for Husain’s summons and cleared him of obscenity charges, effectively quashing cases in other cities.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
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In September, he’d been convicted of indecent exposure (and using obscenities) after allegedly exposing himself during a Miami concert.—
David Kushner,
Rolling Stone,
20 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Wantonness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wantonness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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