sexually
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
in a way that relates to physical attraction or sexual feelings.
in a manner relating to sexual desire, orientation, or physical attraction.
Simple“He found her sexually attractive from the moment they met.”
In context“The film explores the complex ways in which people are sexually drawn to onehouse another despite having nothing in common.”
UsageOften used before adjectives like 'attractive', 'active', or 'explicit'.
Synonymseroticallyromantically - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
relating to the physical act of sex.
with respect to the act of sexual intercourse.
Simple“The doctor asked if he was currently sexually active.”
In context“Public health campaigns often focus on encouraging sexually active teenagers to practice safe habits to prevent the spread of disease.”
UsageCommonly occurs in the fixed phrase 'sexually active'.
- 03 C1 Advanced
how some living things produce babies by combining male and female cells.
by means of sexual reproduction involving the fusion of gametes.
Simple“Most mammals reproduce sexually rather than by making copies of themselves.”
In context“Biologists study why certain species evolved to reproduce sexually despite the high energy costs compared to asexual cloning.”
UsageAlmost exclusively used in biological or scientific contexts.
Antonymsasexually
Usage sexually assaulted · sexually abusing · sexually assaulting
“Aaron was not the victim, but the teacher says he has always been in love with Aaron – though he is no longer sexually attracted to him.”
“People sexually abused as children who seek help in later life for mental health problems are being failed by the NHS, senior doctors have told the BBC.”
From sexual + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.