WANTON
Dictionary entry overview: What does wanton mean?
• WANTON (noun)
The noun WANTON has 1 sense:
1. lewd or lascivious woman
Familiarity information: WANTON used as a noun is very rare.
• WANTON (adjective)
The adjective WANTON has 2 senses:
1. occurring without motivation or provocation
2. casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
Familiarity information: WANTON used as an adjective is rare.
• WANTON (verb)
The verb WANTON has 6 senses:
1. waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
2. indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life
3. spend wastefully
4. become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously
5. engage in amorous play
6. behave extremely cruelly and brutally
Familiarity information: WANTON used as a verb is common.
Dictionary entry details
• WANTON (noun)
Meaning:
Lewd or lascivious woman
Classified under:
Nouns denoting people
Hypernyms ("wanton" is a kind of...):
sensualist (a person who enjoys sensuality)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "wanton"):
light-o'-love; light-of-love (a woman inconstant in love)
• WANTON (adjective)
Meaning:
Occurring without motivation or provocation
Synonyms:
motiveless; unprovoked; wanton
Context examples:
motiveless malignity / unprovoked and dastardly attack
Similar:
unmotivated (without motivation)
Meaning:
Casual and unrestrained in sexual behavior
Synonyms:
wanton; sluttish; promiscuous; easy; loose; light
Context examples:
her easy virtue / he was told to avoid loose (or light) women / wanton behavior
Similar:
unchaste (not chaste)
• WANTON (verb)
Meaning:
Waste time; spend one's time idly or inefficiently
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Synonyms:
wanton away; wanton; trifle; piddle away; piddle
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
pass; spend (pass (time) in a specific way)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Indulge in a carefree or voluptuous way of life
Classified under:
Verbs of being, having, spatial relations
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
live (lead a certain kind of life; live in a certain style)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Spend wastefully
Classified under:
Verbs of buying, selling, owning
Synonyms:
trifle away; wanton away; wanton
Context example:
wanton one's money away
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
drop; expend; spend (pay out)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Become extravagant; indulge (oneself) luxuriously
Classified under:
Verbs of eating and drinking
Synonyms:
luxuriate; wanton
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
consume; squander; ware; waste (spend extravagantly)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Engage in amorous play
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
butterfly; chat up; coquet; coquette; dally; flirt; mash; philander; romance (talk or behave amorously, without serious intentions)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
Meaning:
Behave extremely cruelly and brutally
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Hypernyms (to "wanton" is one way to...):
act; behave; do (behave in a certain manner; show a certain behavior; conduct or comport oneself)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s
