bowdlerize
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Apparently, to bowdlerize Coco Chanel, elegance really has been refusal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2018
To bowdlerize Benjamin Franklin, in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and Arsenal finishing in the top four.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 26, 2017
The rush to bowdlerize what Biden had said turned a glancing tap of the bruise into a grinding fist.
From Slate ● May 9, 2012
Nor do they wish to bowdlerize the bawdier passages reproduced in the script.
From Time Magazine Archive
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I cannot, unfortunately, bowdlerize the best of these without spoiling them, so I will endeavor to give a few examples of the less forceful.
From Reminiscences of a South African Pioneer by W. C. (William Charles) Scully
Also, and not incidentally, the river is named for the tribe whose chief’s bowdlerized name became that of the city.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 2, 2020
Huang yelled, frustrated that the show had bowdlerized his story, which included whippings by his father, an immigrant restaurant owner.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 2, 2015
Performing on network TV, Mr. Petersen served up an only somewhat bowdlerized version of his live show.
From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2014
His crowd got the joke, though McCain had slightly bowdlerized the reference.
From Slate ● Mar. 5, 2014
Fired off a second barrel through Fitz from whom I have just heard that my Despatch cannot be published as it stands but must be bowdlerized first, all the names of battalions being cut out.
From Gallipoli Diary, Volume I by Sir Ian Hamilton
But, as Samartzis admitted with a grin, bowdlerizing wind from the breeziest place in the world wasn’t very authentic.
From New York Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
When Televisa tried bowdlerizing the footage with a pro-government spin, he destroyed the tape and resigned, effectively blacklisting himself.
From New York Times ● Sep. 25, 2015
All the candidates have taken what was once a very specific ideology and extracted their favorite parts, selectively interpreting the vision and generally bowdlerizing it.
From Washington Post ● May 15, 2015
Note that, in railing against the bowdlerizing of the film's language, Ebert censored himself.
From Time ● Apr. 4, 2011
But despite bowdlerizing content, my family has been entirely faithful about visiting.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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Vocabulary lists containing bowdlerize
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