1 libertinism | Definition of libertinism

libertinism

noun
lib·​er·​tin·​ism | \ ˈli-bÉ™r-ËŒtÄ“-ËŒni-zÉ™m How to pronounce libertinism (audio) , -tÉ™-\

Definition of libertinism

: the quality or state of being libertine : the behavior of a libertine

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Examples of libertinism in a Sentence

a group of urban bohemians who were better known for their libertinism than for their intellectualism even by the standards of ancient Rome, Caligula's reign was marked by a libertinism that went beyond the pale

Recent Examples on the Web

Others, following Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu, aim to make a virtue of Trump’s libertinism and cruelty, comparing him to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, who is said to have paved the way for the Jewish exodus. Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, "ChurchToo and Mike Pence’s Crisis of Faith," 21 June 2018 Yet Will’s own moment of libertinism is destined to pass into history at much the same time as Nantwich’s. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, "A Novel of Sex and Secrecy," 10 Oct. 2011 Others, following Israeli president Benjamin Netanyahu, aim to make a virtue of Trump’s libertinism and cruelty, comparing him to Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, who is said to have paved the way for the Jewish exodus. Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, "ChurchToo and Mike Pence’s Crisis of Faith," 21 June 2018 Yet Will’s own moment of libertinism is destined to pass into history at much the same time as Nantwich’s. Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, "A Novel of Sex and Secrecy," 10 Oct. 2011 Christian liberty of this kind provided no excuse for libertinism. Joseph Loconte, WSJ, "How Martin Luther Advanced Freedom," 26 Oct. 2017 If your culture’s code is libertine, don’t be surprised that worse things than libertinism flourish. Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, "One Harvey Weinstein in Hollywood, Another in the White House," 10 Oct. 2017 Incarcerated, not so much for his libidinous ways, but for gambling, cheating tourists, his flagrant libertinism in the face of the Venetian Inquisition, and his heretical interests in alchemy and the kabbalah. Gaile Robinson, star-telegram, "Kimbell’s ‘Casanova’ follows the seducer’s trail through Europe – adult-only art and all," 30 Aug. 2017 There's nothing that screams joyful, unburdened libertinism like keeping all your receipts at the rock show. Luke O'neil, Esquire, "What Tax Day Is Like When You're a Freelancer," 17 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'libertinism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of libertinism

1611, in the meaning defined above

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More from Merriam-Webster on libertinism

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with libertinism

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for libertinism