smut.
Sexually explicit or sexually vulgar material, including writing; the word also has unrelated soot and plant-disease senses.
What does smut mean?
In reading and media discussions, smut names sexually explicit or sexually vulgar material. Someone might use it as a content label, a self-aware genre description or a criticism. The word concerns the material, not proof of a reader’s private behavior.
It also has unrelated literal senses involving soot and a plant disease. A gardening article about smut is therefore not an adult-content recommendation. In a book discussion, check whether the speaker is describing the content, criticizing it, or using a label affectionately.
See how it lands.
Original examples written for this entry, not quotations from the sources.
The book club asked for a warning about smut in the novel.
The review dismissed the story as smut.
The right word.
The right moment.
Use it to interpret a specific review or content label. If you need a neutral description, sexually explicit writing is clearer about the feature being discussed.
Avoid treating the word as an objective verdict on literary quality or applying the adult reading to an unrelated agricultural or soot reference.
Not quite the same as…
NSFW
NSFW warns about suitability for a setting. Smut names a kind of sexual material, rather than functioning as a complete viewing-environment warning.
A little backstory.
The linked reference documents this meaning. This entry does not establish a single inventor or a first-use date; a dictionary record and a current popularity measurement answer different questions.
Supported by Wiktionary contributors
Still wondering?
Does smut only mean writing?
No. Sexually vulgar material is the broader meaning, although a book discussion can narrow the immediate reference to writing.
Is smut always used critically?
The word can be critical, but speakers may also use it as a self-aware content label. The surrounding attitude matters.
Sources & checks
Meaning and factual notes are informed by the references below. Examples and usage advice are original editorial writing. A source documents use; it does not measure current popularity.
- smut — meaning and usage ↗Wiktionary contributors · checked 20 Oct 2026Supports: meaning; distinct senses