dirty word
noun
: a word, expression, or idea that is disagreeable or unpopular in a particular frame of reference
Synonyms
Examples of dirty word in a Sentence
The movie is just a lot of sex, violence, and dirty words.
They regard “taxes” as a dirty word.
The way he acts, you'd think compassion was a dirty word.
Recent Examples on the Web
Still, governance in the Boehner era was not a dirty word, and the vast majority of new Republican members were receptive to it.
—
Robert Draper, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Patriotism, a dirty word among Russian liberals only a few years before, was making a comeback, accompanied by various hues of Russian nationalism.
—Dmitri Trenin, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2016
Employment arbitration has become a dirty word on Capitol Hill.
—Lewis L. Maltby, Fortune, 9 May 2024
Tess Owen: Look after January 6, there was a sense among the anti-government movement that militia was like a dirty word.
—Leah Feiger, WIRED, 2 May 2024
Feck may not quite be one of the seven dirty words, but that didn’t stop Golden Globes censors from pulling the trigger when Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy said it during his acceptance speech.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2024
And when curiosity means uncovering stories with the potential to upset or embarrass the preferred demographic, curiosity becomes a dirty word.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023
Cards Against Humanity provides instant fun, even at the most dull parties or awkward social events, since there’s just something about dirty words in absurd contexts.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2023
For some eco-activists with an eye trained toward a bigger picture, cleanup has become something of a dirty word.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
Robert Draper, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Patriotism, a dirty word among Russian liberals only a few years before, was making a comeback, accompanied by various hues of Russian nationalism.
—Dmitri Trenin, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2016
Employment arbitration has become a dirty word on Capitol Hill.
—Lewis L. Maltby, Fortune, 9 May 2024
Tess Owen: Look after January 6, there was a sense among the anti-government movement that militia was like a dirty word.
—Leah Feiger, WIRED, 2 May 2024
Feck may not quite be one of the seven dirty words, but that didn’t stop Golden Globes censors from pulling the trigger when Oppenheimer’s Cillian Murphy said it during his acceptance speech.
—Justin Curto, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2024
And when curiosity means uncovering stories with the potential to upset or embarrass the preferred demographic, curiosity becomes a dirty word.
—Becket Adams, National Review, 24 Dec. 2023
Cards Against Humanity provides instant fun, even at the most dull parties or awkward social events, since there’s just something about dirty words in absurd contexts.
—Kaitlyn McInnis, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2023
For some eco-activists with an eye trained toward a bigger picture, cleanup has become something of a dirty word.
—Tovah Martin, Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dirty word.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near dirty word
Cite this Entry
“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20word. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share