prostitution
noun
pros·ti·tu·tion
ˌprä-stə-ˈtü-shən 
-ˈtyü-
1
sometimes offensive; see usage paragraph below
: the act or practice of engaging in sex acts and especially sexual intercourse in exchange for pay : sex work
2
: the state of being involved in or devoted to corrupt or unworthy purposes : debasement
You see, for Michelangelo, painting was only a day job—one he felt was a prostitution of his artistic talent. His passion was sculpture.—
Karen Wall Garrison
Karen Wall Garrison
Usage of Prostitute and Prostitution
The words prostitute and prostitution in their senses relating to sex work are now increasingly rejected as offensive.
"… the word 'prostitute' itself has very much fallen out of favor. Very few people who are engaged in sex work describe themselves as prostitutes outside their own communities, and in some circles the word prostitute is considered a derogatory term. …"
—Melissa Gira Grant, quoted at Vox.com, 11 Aug. 2014
Melissa Gira Grant, quoted at Vox.com, 11 Aug. 2014
These days Marie prefers to use the term escort when describing what her mother does, and dislikes the word prostitute for its "negative connotations".
—Chloe Morgan, MailOnline, 30 Nov. 2020
Chloe Morgan, MailOnline, 30 Nov. 2020
"Some sex workers find the term 'prostitute' offensive because of the intense stigma and baggage that goes with it. I feel that for me it's important to take back that name in order to fight the stigma. …"
—unidentified sex worker, quoted in Tucson (Arizona) Weekly, 6 Oct. 2016
unidentified sex worker, quoted in Tucson (Arizona) Weekly, 6 Oct. 2016
Labor member Irene Pnevmatikos told Parliament that the terms "prostitution" and "prostitute" had negative connotations. "Sex worker groups in Australia reject the word prostitute and have done so since the 1970s," Ms Pnevmatikos said.
—Casey Briggs, ABC Premium News (Australia), 20 June 2019
Casey Briggs, ABC Premium News (Australia), 20 June 2019
Because of the degrading history of the term "prostitution," I confine my use of the word to two scenarios: when it is used in a direct quotation, and when I am referring to the laws themselves that are so titled.
—Mary Felder, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 1 Jan. 2021
Mary Felder, University of Pennsylvania Law Review, 1 Jan. 2021
When used in contexts relating to victimization especially of children, the words have also been criticized as mischaracterizing sexual exploitation.
The term "child prostitution" is being removed from official statistics over concerns it is an outdated phrase that encourages "victim-blaming".
—Belfast (Northern Ireland) Telegraph Online, 7 Mar. 2016
Belfast (Northern Ireland) Telegraph Online, 7 Mar. 2016
I, with the Human Rights Project for Girls, understand it is the media's job to convey a situation or an issue with precision and clarity. "Child prostitute" may seem clear because it conveys the fact that money is exchanged for sex, but it is also misleading because it suggests consent and criminality when none exists.
—Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, Change.org, 2016
Withelma "T" Ortiz Walker Pettigrew, Change.org, 2016
"It comes back to the word prostitute … and it is biasing our laws when the act would be considered statutory rape because it involves a child if no money were exchanged," said Linda Smith, who founded Shared Hope in the late 1990s after serving in the U.S. Congress for Washington state for four years.
—James Pilcher, Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette, 24 Nov. 2019
James Pilcher, Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette, 24 Nov. 2019
Examples of prostitution in a Sentence
She was arrested for prostitution.
Writing commercials was a prostitution of his talents.
Recent Examples on the Web
The men face charges of solicitation of prostitution, a felony in Texas punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
—Sarah Bahari, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2023
Street prostitution has been an issue on Capp Street in the Mission District for decades.
—Fifth & Mission Podcast, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Feb. 2023
In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
—Sarah Rumpf, Fox News, 25 Jan. 2023
Some of the acts of prostitution were carried out in Nesbitt’s condominium building in the 2400 block of West Augusta Boulevard.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for prostitution 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sarah Bahari, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2023
Street prostitution has been an issue on Capp Street in the Mission District for decades.
—Fifth & Mission Podcast, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Feb. 2023
In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
—Sarah Rumpf, Fox News, 25 Jan. 2023
Some of the acts of prostitution were carried out in Nesbitt’s condominium building in the 2400 block of West Augusta Boulevard.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
See all Example Sentences for prostitution
Dictionary Entries Near prostitution
Cite this Entry
“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prostitution. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prostitution
noun
pros·ti·tu·tion
ˌpräs-tə-ˈt(y)ü-shən
1
: the acts or practices of a prostitute
2
: the state of being prostituted
Legal Definition
prostitution
noun
pros·ti·tu·tion
ˌpräs-tə-ˈtü-shən, -ˈtyü-
: the act or practice of engaging in sexual activity indiscriminately especially for money
also
: the crime of engaging in such activity
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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