as in vice
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money
prostitution is illegal in most states
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Recent Examples of prostitution
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office told PEOPLE in April that Haley was under investigation for a potential charge related to pandering (inducing another to engage in prostitution).
—
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Diddy has been convicted of two counts of transportation for prostitution and sentenced to more than four years in prison.
—Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
She was convicted of prostitution and keeping a bawdy house, according to the DHS.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Demarcus Kelly pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of engaging or agreeing to engage in prostitution with a minor, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, Diddy has been convicted of two counts of transportation for prostitution and sentenced to more than four years in prison.
—Kyle Eustice, SPIN, 27 Apr. 2026
She was convicted of prostitution and keeping a bawdy house, according to the DHS.
—Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Demarcus Kelly pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of engaging or agreeing to engage in prostitution with a minor, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prostitution
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prostitution
harlotry
Noun
-
In one case, the life of an upper-class woman and contemporary of Julius Caesar, Clodia, saw her reputation destroyed by false claims of harlotry, home-wrecking, and husband-killing.—
Time,
Time,
24 Nov. 2025
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Within the slippery world of harlotry—where class can be transcended and humanity bought—relationships form that defy our historical assumptions about the bounded categories of human experience.—
Sarah Marshall,
New Republic,
2 June 2017
Cite this Entry
“Prostitution.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prostitution. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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