Wanton — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun verb /ˈwȯn-tᵊn/ wan·ton

Meaning & Definition of Wanton

Wanton (adjective)

  1. merciless, inhumane
  2. having no just foundation or provocation, malicious
  3. being without check or limitation

Wanton (noun)

  1. one given to self-indulgent flirtation or trifling —used especially in the phrase play the wanton
  2. a lewd or lascivious person
  3. a pampered person or animal, pet; especially, a spoiled child

Wanton (verb)

  1. to be wanton or act wantonly
  2. to pass or waste wantonly or in wantonness

Wanton (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. depicting or referring to sexual matters in a way that is unacceptable in polite society

    "that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love"

    similar: bawdy, blue, coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, gross, gutter, impure, indecent, lascivious, lewd, locker-room, nasty, obscene, pornographic, porny, profane, raunchy, ribald, smutty, stag, trashy, unprintable, vulgar, X-rated
    related: broad, coarse-grained, gamy, off, off-color, racy, risqué, salacious, salty, suggestive, barnyard, earthy, scatological, immodest, indecorous, indelicate, low, unbecoming, depraved, kinky, louche, naughty, perverse, perverted, wicked, exceptionable, objectionable, unacceptable, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome, abhorrent, debasing, disgusting, loathsome, offensive, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, distasteful, obnoxious, unpleasant, blamable, blameworthy, censurable, reprehensible, atrocious, infamous, abusive, scurrilous, hard-core, soft, soft-core
    opposite: clean, decent, G-rated, nonobscene, wholesome
    near: priggish, prim, prudish, puritanical, staid, straitlaced, Victorian, correct, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly, innocuous, inoffensive, acceptable, agreeable, desirable, pleasant, pleasing, welcome, appropriate, becoming, fit, meet, suitable, immaculate, perfect, pure, spotless, virginal, approved, endorsed, sanctioned

  2. having a strong sexual desire

    "in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end"

    similar: concupiscent, goatish, horny, hot, hypersexual, itchy, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinous, licentious, lubricious, lustful, oversexed, passionate, randy, salacious, satyric
    related: aroused, excited, easy, fast, loose, promiscuous, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, corrupt, debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, immoral, indecent
    opposite: frigid, undersexed
    near: celibate, chaste, decent, immaculate, modest, moral, pure, virtuous, monastic, monkish, maidenly, virginal, innocent, lily-white, priggish, prim, prudish, puritanical, straitlaced, Victorian

  3. having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

    "a wanton attack on unarmed civilians"

    similar: atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, vicious, red in tooth and claw
    related: hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling, fell, ferocious, grim, bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine, catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive, draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive
    opposite: benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted
    near: tender, warm, warmhearted, charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying, pacific, peaceable, peaceful

Wanton (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a person who playfully shows another amorous attention

    "quite the wanton when he wants to be"

    similar: flirt, flirter
    related: coquet, coquette, jade, soubrette, vamp

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Wanton

The most common words with a similar meaning to Wanton:

bawdy, blue, coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, gross, gutter, impure, indecent, lascivious, lewd, locker-room, nasty, obscene, pornographic, porny, profane, raunchy, ribald, smutty, stag, trashy, unprintable, vulgar, X-rated, concupiscent, goatish, horny, hot, hypersexual, itchy, lecherous, libidinous, licentious, lubricious, lustful, oversexed, passionate

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Wanton

Words with the opposite meaning of Wanton:

clean, decent, G-rated, nonobscene, wholesome, frigid, undersexed, benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted

Related Words for Wanton

broad, coarse-grained, gamy, off, off-color, racy, risqué, salty, suggestive, barnyard, earthy, scatological, immodest, indecorous, indelicate, low, unbecoming, depraved, kinky, louche, naughty, perverse, perverted, wicked, exceptionable, objectionable, unacceptable, undesirable, unwanted, unwelcome

Near Antonyms of Wanton

priggish, prim, prudish, puritanical, staid, straitlaced, Victorian, correct, decorous, genteel, nice, polite, proper, respectable, seemly, innocuous, inoffensive, acceptable, agreeable, desirable, pleasant, pleasing, welcome, appropriate, becoming, fit, meet, suitable, immaculate, perfect

Word Forms of Wanton

Inflections: wantoned, wantoning, wantons

Derived words: wantonly (adverb), wantonness (noun), wantoner (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Wanton

Middle English, from wan- deficient, wrong, mis- (from Old English, from wan deficient) + towen, past participle of teen to draw, train, discipline, from Old English tēon tow:1

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Wanton

What does "Wanton" mean?

"Wanton" means merciless, inhumane. As an an adjective, a noun and a verb, it is defined as: merciless, inhumane. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Wanton"?

Other words for "Wanton" include bawdy, blue, coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul and gross. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Wanton" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Wanton"?

There are 166 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Wanton". Common alternatives include bawdy, blue, coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, gross, gutter and impure.

What is the opposite of "Wanton"?

Antonyms of "Wanton" include clean, decent, G-rated, nonobscene, wholesome, frigid, undersexed and benign. Near antonyms include priggish, prim, prudish and puritanical.

How do you use "Wanton" in a sentence?

Examples of "Wanton" in a sentence: "that novel was once regarded as a wanton tale of forbidden love"; "in earlier times, novelists usually portrayed wanton women as coming to a bad end"; "a wanton attack on unarmed civilians".

Is "Wanton" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Wanton" can be used as an adjective, a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Wanton"?

"Wanton" is pronounced /ˈwȯn-tᵊn/ and divided into syllables as wan·ton.

What is the origin of the word "Wanton"?

"Wanton" comes from Middle English, from wan- deficient, wrong, mis- (from Old English, from wan deficient) + towen, past participle of teen to draw, train, discipline, from Old English tēon tow:1. First known use: 14th century.