sensuous implies gratification of the senses for the sake of aesthetic pleasure.
the sensuous delights of great music
sensual tends to imply the gratification of the senses or the indulgence of the physical appetites as ends in themselves.
a life devoted to sensual pleasures
luxurious suggests the indulgence of sensuous pleasure inducing bodily ease and languor.
a luxurious hotel
voluptuous implies more strongly an abandonment especially to sensual pleasure.
a voluptuous feast
Example Sentences
the voluptuous richness of the music
Recent Examples on the WebThe rice is voluptuous with chicken broth and a rich chicken oil made from frying up the fatty scraps after the chickens are cleaned and clipped.Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2022 Also in the show are paintings by abstractionists Mary Anne Arntzen and Sue Crawford, both of whom employ voluptuous colors and undulating patterns. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022 The folds of the material, brushed cotton, seemed to him voluptuous in his heightened state. Ian Mcewan, The New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2022 Stylistically, sauvignon blanc is minerally in the Loire Valley, voluptuous in Bordeaux and California, herbaceous and aggressive in New Zealand. Dave Mcintyre, Washington Post, 14 July 2022 Rich and silky tannins, voluptuous red fruit, slightly astringent finish. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 22 May 2022 The stacked coffee tables are slim and low-profile, which balances out the plush carpeting and voluptuous sectional. Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, 24 June 2022 Cardi joked while chatting with red carpet host LaLa that her voluptuous figure was thanks to her son. Bianca Betancourt, Harper's BAZAAR, 3 May 2022 With its stately castles, glass-like lochs, and voluptuous glens, Scotland has always been a showstopper. Jonathan Thompson, Travel + Leisure, 22 Apr. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin voluptuosus, irregular from voluptas pleasure, from volup pleasurable; akin to Greek elpesthai to hope, Latin velle to wish — more at will