# masturbation

/ˌmæstɝˈbeɪʃən/ (US) · /mˌɑːstəbˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/masturbation
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. sexual self-stimulation

noun · CEFR B2

the act of touching or rubbing your own sexual organs for pleasure.

For teachers: sexual stimulation of one's own genitalia or other erotic regions, often resulting in orgasm.

- Many doctors agree that masturbation is a normal and healthy part of human sexuality.
- The survey aimed to collect data on the frequency of masturbation among different age groups to better understand sexual health trends.

### 2. self-indulgent activity

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Humorous

an activity that feels good to the person doing it but is useless to everyone else.

For teachers: a vain or self-indulgent activity that provides personal satisfaction without offering any practical or external value.

- The long, boring speech was just a piece of intellectual masturbation.
- Critics dismissed the director's latest three-hour experimental film as nothing more than cinematic masturbation that ignored the audience entirely.

## Examples

- Many doctors say that masturbation is a healthy part of life.
- The health class included a section on masturbation to help students understand their own bodies and sexual development.
- The shift in medical discourse during the twentieth century moved masturbation from being viewed as a pathological concern to being recognised as a common and harmless practice.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.