four-letter word

noun

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of four-letter word

: any of a group of vulgar or obscene words typically made up of four letters; broadly : a taboo word or topic

tax is a four-letter word to him

See four-letter word defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of four-letter word from the Web

Learn Proactively: Debt collection, debt management, debt relief, debt settlement - debt is a four-letter word that’s the subject of some complex laws.

— Cincinnati.com, "A penny earned today may save you from debt tomorrow," 9 Apr. 2018
The New York Daily News dedicated its entire front page to the story — but edited a reference to the key four-letter word.

— philip bump, Washington Post, "Newspaper readers saw a lot of 'vulgarity' but not a lot of 'shithole'," 12 Jan. 2018
To this generation of activists, that four-letter word -- VOTE -- is a battle cry stronger than any hashtag.

— aj willingham, CNN, "Slacktivism is over. The #NeverAgain movement is about what's next," 25 Mar. 2018
Ritualistic pronouncements of deliciousness abound, often punctuated with a certain four-letter word, and the occasional non-culinary star — Aziz Ansari, Jimmy Kimmel — drops by to both lend and borrow celebrity wattage.

— mike hale, New York Times, "Review: David Chang in the Comfort Food Zone on Netflix," 23 Feb. 2018
Taxes and transit might as well be four-letter words, especially in the suburbs.

— jason williams, Cincinnati.com, "PX: Amid myriad problems, streetcar official receives $22,000 raise, promotion," 16 Feb. 2018
Flexibility can be a four-letter word in coaching ranks.

— everett cook, San Francisco Chronicle, "Now used far beyond Stanford, virtual reality keeps growing at the Farm," 22 Dec. 2017
Virginia law demands that residents keep it clean, even in moments crying out for the foulest four-letter words.

— laura vozzella, Washington Post, "It’s a crime in Virginia to swear in public. A lawmaker says that’s #@!#ing nuts.," 15 Dec. 2017
Jeanne’s stories are family friendly and appropriate – no four-letter words necessary.

— Southern Living, "The Art of Storytelling: Jeanne Robertson," 30 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'four-letter word.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.