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Obscenity vs Decency - What's the difference?

obscenity | decency |

As nouns the difference between obscenity and decency

is that obscenity is (countable) something that is obscene while decency is the quality of being decent; propriety.

obscenity

English

Noun

(obscenities)
  • (countable) Something that is obscene.
  • Martha wouldn't go into the art museum because, as she put it, "They have obscenities just sitting out, on display!"
  • (countable) An act of obscene behaviour.
  • Bestiality was outlawed as an obscenity in the strongly conservative community.
  • (countable) Specifically, an offensive word; a profanity; a dirty word.
  • Eliza couldn't stand her daughter's music; as she saw it, it was just shouted obscenities and a heavy drum beat.
  • (uncountable) The qualities that make something obscene; lewdness, indecency, or offensive behaviour.
  • The coalition of religious conservatives was campaigning against, in their view, rampant obscenity in the entertainment industry.

    decency

    English

    Noun

  • the quality of being decent; propriety
  • * Burke
  • Observances of time, place, and of decency in general.
  • * Roscommon
  • Immodest words admit of no defence, / For want of decency is want of sense.
  • That which is proper or becoming.
  • * Atterbury
  • The external decencies of worship.
  • * Milton
  • Those thousand decencies , that daily flow / From all her words and actions.