Meaning & use
lewd behavior
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Meanings
noununcountablelegalformal
Sexual behavior that is considered offensive, indecent, or against the law.
Grammar: Uncountable; used in legal and formal contexts. Often preceded by 'accused of' or 'charged with'.
Patterns
- accused of lewd behavior
- charged with lewd behavior
- engage in lewd behavior
The man was arrested and charged with lewd behavior in a public place.
The company has a strict policy against lewd behavior in the workplace.
She reported her colleague for lewd behavior at the office party.
noununcountableformal
In a broader sense, any sexually indecent or offensive conduct.
Grammar: Still uncountable; used in formal or legal writing.
Patterns
- such lewd behavior
- allegations of lewd behavior
The newspaper published allegations of lewd behavior by the celebrity.
The school has a zero-tolerance policy for lewd behavior among students.
Common combinations
- accused of lewd behavior
- He was accused of lewd behavior by two former employees.
- charged with lewd behavior
- The suspect was charged with lewd behavior after the incident.
- lewd behavior in public
- The law prohibits lewd behavior in public.
- allegations of lewd behavior
- The politician denied the allegations of lewd behavior.
Synonyms and how they differ
- indecent exposure
- Specifically refers to showing one's body in public, while lewd behavior is broader and can include other sexual acts.
- obscenity
- Refers to offensive sexual words or images, not necessarily behavior; lewd behavior focuses on actions.
- sexual misconduct
- A broader term covering any inappropriate sexual behavior, often in professional settings; lewd behavior is more specific to indecent acts.
Word family
Commonly confused: lewd behavior or rude behavior? lewd behavior or lascivious behavior?
lewd behavior vs rude behavior
Rude behavior is impolite or disrespectful, but not necessarily sexual; lewd behavior specifically refers to sexual indecency.
lewd behavior vs lascivious behavior
Similar meaning but even more formal and literary; lewd behavior is the more common legal term.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'lewd behavior' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses 'lewd behavior' to describe inappropriate sexual conduct that led to being fired. Option 1 is wrong because 'praised' contradicts the negative meaning. Option 2 is wrong because teachers would not encourage such behavior. Option 3 is wrong because 'lewd behavior policy' is not a natural collocation; it would be 'policy against lewd behavior'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lewd behavior”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.