What does "adultery" mean?
Sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their spouse. See more synonyms at Thesaurus:cuckoldry
Adultery
/əˈdʌltəɹi/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their spouse. See more synonyms at Thesaurus:cuckoldry
- Grammar: adultery is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: act of love, adulterous affair, advowtry, affair.
- Useful contrasts: fidelity, lawful conduct, legal behavior.
- Usage evidence: According to many religions, adultery is a crime.
How to use "adultery"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "adultery" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "adultery" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "adultery" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "adultery" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "adultery" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "act of love" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "adultery", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Sexual intercourse by a married person with someone other than their spouse. See more synonyms at Thesaurus:cuckoldry countable, uncountable
"She engaged in adultery because her spouse has a low libido, while hers is very high."
- 2 extramarital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes with marriage relations wordnet
- 3 Lewdness or unchastity of thought as well as act, as forbidden by the sixth/seventh commandment; sinful sexual behavior as a category. broadly, countable, uncountable
"Thou shalt not commit adultery."
- 4 Faithlessness in religion. countable, uncountable
"And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks."
- 5 The fine and penalty formerly imposed for the offence of adultery. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 The intrusion of a person into a bishopric during the life of the bishop. countable, uncountable
- 7 Adulteration; corruption. countable, uncountable
- 8 Injury; degradation; ruin. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"[…] you might wrest the Caduceus out of my hand, to the adultery and spoil of Nature […]"
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"According to many religions, adultery is a crime."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "adultery"?
Common synonyms include: act of love, adulterous affair, advowtry, affair, amour, aphrodisia.
How do you use "adultery" in a sentence?
According to many religions, adultery is a crime.
How do you pronounce "adultery"?
Pronounced /əˈdʌltəɹi/.
Etymology
With change of suffix, from the Old French adultere (“violation of conjugal faith”) (in Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons, 12c.), a learnèd borrowing from Latin adulterium, from adulterō. Replaced the older form avoutrie, from the inherited Old French forms avouterie or aoulterie, while keeping its suffix. Compare French adultère (“adultery”). Displaced Old English ǣwbryċe. Not related to adult.