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obsceno

ob-SEH-noh/oβˈse.no/

obscene

Also: lewd, indecent
A person covering their eyes with their hands while looking at a messy, vandalized wall.

📝 In Action

Él hizo un gesto obsceno desde el coche.

B1

He made an obscene gesture from the car.

La televisión no debe mostrar contenido obsceno en este horario.

B2

Television should not show obscene content during these hours.

Fue arrestado por comportamiento obsceno en la vía pública.

C1

He was arrested for indecent behavior on a public street.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • indecente (indecent)
  • impúdico (shameless)
  • grosero (rude/gross)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • gesto obsceno – obscene gesture
  • lenguaje obsceno – foul/obscene language
  • espectáculo obsceno – indecent show

obscene

Also: outrageous
AdjectivemC1formal
A massive, overflowing pile of golden coins and jewels that dwarfs a small wooden table.

📝 In Action

Ese jugador de fútbol gana una cantidad obscena de dinero.

B2

That soccer player earns an obscene amount of money.

Es obsceno gastar tanto en lujos cuando hay tanta pobreza.

C1

It is obscene to spend so much on luxuries when there is so much poverty.

Los precios de las viviendas han llegado a niveles obscenos.

C2

Housing prices have reached outrageous levels.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • exorbitante (exorbitant)
  • excesivo (excessive)
  • insultante (insulting)

Antonyms

  • módico (modest/small (price))
  • razonable (reasonable)

Common Collocations

  • riqueza obscena – obscene wealth
  • cantidad obscena – obscene amount

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "obsceno" in Spanish:

indecent→lewd→obscene→outrageous→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: obsceno

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence describes someone spending way too much money?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
obscenidad(obscenity) — Noun
obscenamente(obscenely) — Adverb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin 'obscenus', which originally meant 'ill-omened', 'repulsive', or 'inauspicious'. Over time, it evolved to refer specifically to things that were morally offensive.

First recorded: 15th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: obsceneFrench: obscèneItalian: osceno

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'obsceno' a bad word?

The word itself is not a swear word; it is a formal adjective used to describe things that are offensive or inappropriate.

When should I use 'sucio' instead of 'obsceno'?

'Sucio' means 'dirty' (literally or figuratively). Use 'obsceno' for more serious moral offenses or extreme excesses.

Can I use 'obsceno' to describe a person?

Usually, we describe a person's actions, words, or gestures as 'obsceno' rather than the person themselves, though you can say 'es un hombre obsceno' to mean he behaves indecently.