licentiousness

Meanings

1. 1noununcountableformaldisapproving

   Behavior that ignores accepted moral rules, especially in sexual matters.

   Grammar: Always critical; the writer disapproves of the behavior.

   Patterns

   • the licentiousness of something

   The preacher condemned the licentiousness of the court.

   Critics accused the film of promoting licentiousness.

   The town was known for its licentiousness in the old days.

2. 2noununcountableliterary

   Lack of proper restraint in using freedom, as in language or conduct.

   Grammar: A broader, literary sense of excess beyond rules.

   Patterns

   • licentiousness in something

   He complained of licentiousness in the press.

   The poet's licentiousness with grammar shocked scholars.

   Freedom slid into licentiousness during the revolt.

Common combinations

moral licentiousness

The writer condemned moral licentiousness.

accused of licentiousness

The duke was accused of licentiousness.

sexual licentiousness

The sermon attacked sexual licentiousness.

an age of licentiousness

Historians describe the era as an age of licentiousness.

Synonyms and how they differ

debauchery

Debauchery stresses excess in drinking and pleasure, while licentiousness focuses on ignoring moral rules.

promiscuity

Promiscuity is specifically about many casual sexual partners and is more clinical.

immorality

Immorality is broader and need not involve sex or pleasure.

dissoluteness

Dissoluteness suggests a loose, wasted life and is rarer.

Opposites

Word family

licentious adjective

lacking moral restraint

licentiously adverb

in a morally unrestrained way

license noun

official permission, from the same Latin root

Commonly confused: licentiousness or license?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “licentiousness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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