as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
unleashed a slew of expletives upon losing the tennis match
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expletive
But even if computers are [unprintable expletives], their problems have often been encountered and fixed by some other poor soul.
—
Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2025
Cunningham could be heard on the broadcast telling official Brian Forte to line players up along the perimeter of the paint, with a few expletives included.
—Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
The toddler giggles as Johnson grabs the steering wheel to flee the offending bird, throwing in an expletive on his way out.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Johnson exclaimed while recoiling, seemingly followed by inaudible expletives.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expletive
Nate Anderson, Ars Technica, 22 Mar. 2025
Cunningham could be heard on the broadcast telling official Brian Forte to line players up along the perimeter of the paint, with a few expletives included.
—Hunter Patterson, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
The toddler giggles as Johnson grabs the steering wheel to flee the offending bird, throwing in an expletive on his way out.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2025
Johnson exclaimed while recoiling, seemingly followed by inaudible expletives.
—Elizabeth Crisp, The Hill, 8 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expletive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletive
Noun
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Homewood’s location on the western shore of Lake Tahoe is both a blessing and a curse.—
Megan Michelson,
Outside Online,
4 Apr. 2025
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The annual cost-of-living adjustment Social Security recipients receive is both a blessing and a curse.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Could a nice good swear on the pitch to express one’s anger stop a player from lashing out physically, channelling their anger through their vocal cords rather than their fists?—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The station asked the band not to include the swears.—
Kris Holt,
Forbes,
2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Sainz was spoken to by the FIA’s media delegate over his language on Friday morning in Bahrain ahead of opening practice at the Sakhir circuit.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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The language put Sainz at risk of action from the FIA under its misconduct guidelines, which have a range of potential sanctions for repeat offences including fines, points deductions and race bans.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And the American president used profanities over how Israel carried out the war in Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas.—
Luke Broadwater,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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The uncensored version was initially available on Peacock Sunday morning but was later replaced with an edited version that removed the profanity.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This species has no fragrance; its lavender appellation simply acknowledges its flower color while its rosemary epithet indicates its seacoast habitat.—
Joshua Siskin,
Orange County Register,
22 Mar. 2025
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More than a decade after Breaking Bad ended, Aaron Paul still can’t escape his character’s signature epithet.—
John Russell,
People.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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As the Oxford English Dictionary notes, the expression not hardly is considered a vulgarism.—
NR Editors,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2020
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The British cringed over new American accents, coinages and vulgarisms.—
Time,
Time,
11 June 2019
Noun
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And, when the alarm wails hours before dawn, human cusses of angry protest join the chorus of budget appliances failing before their time.—
Virginia Konchan,
The New Yorker,
30 Sep. 2024
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My grandmother extended a ladder up into this tough old cuss of a tree and climbed up, at some risk, to pick the bulging fruit.—
Jim Meddleton,
The Christian Science Monitor,
1 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Expletive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletive. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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