cuss

1 of 2

noun

ˈkəs 

1

a

: curse sense 1

b

: curse sense 2

2

: fellow sense 4c

cuss

2 of 2

verb

cussed; cussing; cusses

transitive verb

: curse

—often used with out

got cussed out by his boss

intransitive verb

: curse

cusser noun

Synonyms of cuss

Noun

• curse
• swear
• language
• profanity
• expletive

Verb

• swear
• curse

Examples of cuss in a Sentence

Noun

a man who has never uttered a single cuss

Verb

She started to yell and cuss as soon as she saw him.

the little girl clapped her hands over her ears when her brother started cussing

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

How many f**king cuss words are in these sh**ty video games, anyway? — Seriously Science, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2014

Betty Sykes didn’t give a cuss what came out of her mouth—and much of it was cusses—or who listened. — Graham Swift, The New Yorker, 14 Nov. 2022

Verb

The man who blew the whistle didn’t shout, didn’t cuss and didn’t make a scene. — Jason Quick, New York Times, 2 June 2026

Are some people angry that a children’s book author would cuss in an adult novel? — Literary Hub, 7 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

alteration of curse

First Known Use

Noun

1771, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Verb

1768, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing cuss

• cuss out

Rhymes for cuss

• bus
• buss
• fuss
• glace
• huss
• plus
• pus
• russ
• sus
• suss
• thus
• truss

Kids Definition

cuss

1 of 2 noun

ˈkəs 

1

: curse entry 1 sense 2

2

: fellow entry 1 sense 4a

an ornery cuss

cuss

2 of 2 verb

: swear sense 5