debauchery

noun

de·​bauch·​ery di-ˈbȯ-chə-rē How to pronounce debauchery (audio)
-chrē,
-ˈbä-
plural debaucheries
1
: extreme indulgence in bodily pleasures and especially sexual pleasures : behavior involving sex, drugs, alcohol, etc. that is often considered immoral
… he was glad when others joined them, men and women; and they had more drink and spent the night in wild rioting and debauchery.Upton Sinclair
… Matthew had continued his debaucheries, having chartered a private plane for himself and a bunch of fringe celebrities to go to Corfu for a week of hard-core partying.Evgenia Peretz
2
archaic : seduction from virtue or duty

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History and Use of Debauchery

Some people come to find debauchery through the Bible, in a manner of speaking.

In a number of modern versions the word may be found in Ephesians 5:18, as in The New International Version's translation: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit....” The Greek word that is translated here as debauchery may be interpreted in many different ways: the King James Version uses excess, whereas the American Standard Version uses riot.

Debauchery always involves behavior—especially sexual behavior or behavior involving alcohol or drugs—that some find morally objectionable. In biblical and spiritual contexts, the word debauchery is deadly serious, but in other situations the word often has a playful connotation, as when a group of friends goes out for a "night of debauchery."

Debauchery began to be used in English in the beginning of the 17th century, and is formed from the earlier word debauch. As a verb debauch initially had the meaning of "to lead astray," especially when referring to leading someone away from another person to whom he or she has an allegiance or duty. In its earliest use as a noun debauch was often used to refer to an instance of eating or drinking too much.

Examples of debauchery in a Sentence

Like St. Augustine carousing his student days away in fourth-century Carthage, [Thomas] Merton had succumbed to such physical and intellectual debaucheries as New York offered a Columbia undergraduate in the 1930's: wine, women and some Communist fellow-traveling. Mark Silk, New York Times Book Review, 30 Mar. 1986
… they regard all music and everything pleasant as forms of debauchery, and will not confess to any knowledge or practice unless you can convince them that you are as abandoned a profligate as themselves. Bernard Shaw, letter, 25 Nov. 1948
I have seen a dozen boys stretched on the grass within a circumference of fifty feet, all of them smoking cigarettes and reading dime novels. It was a scene of inspiring debauchery, even to the most craven spectator. H. L. Mencken, Happy Days, 1940
He later regretted the debauchery of his youth. He recalled the evening's debaucheries with regret.
Recent Examples on the Web Through always-aggressive Ani, Baker adopts global hip-hop cynicism and lingo, shifting that exploitative culture into global debauchery. Armond White, National Review, 18 Oct. 2024 The fans can only imagine what debauchery season three will bring. Stream all episodes of ‘Tell Me Lies’ now on Hulu. Follow me on LinkedIn. Dana Feldman, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 The film frequently alternates between trippy, comic montages of the group’s debauchery and jarring tableaus that hint at a darker undercurrent to their fun. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 23 Aug. 2024 Brat, the album by Charli XCX, was forged in the flames of anarchy and debauchery. Brennan Kilbane, Allure, 16 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for debauchery 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'debauchery.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

debauch entry 1 + -ery

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of debauchery was in 1642

Dictionary Entries Near debauchery

Cite this Entry

“Debauchery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debauchery. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

debauchery

noun
de·​bauch·​ery di-ˈbȯch-(ə-)rē How to pronounce debauchery (audio)
-ˈbäch-
plural debaucheries
: extreme and unreasonable involvement in physical pleasures

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