scarlet letter

noun

: a scarlet A worn as a punitive mark of adultery

Examples of scarlet letter in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Among many Jews, simply voting Republican can feel like wearing a scarlet letter. Caren Leven, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2025 The scarlet letter should never be about race to begin with. Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Which raises a chilling question: Have race and DEI become scarlet letters in today’s America? In 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter described the plight of a woman, Hester Prynne, who was forced to wear a scarlet letter on her dress as a sign of shame. Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2025 Old New England wasn’t all scarlet letters, witchcraft trials, and theocratic socialism. Brian T. Allen, National Review, 19 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for scarlet letter

Word History

Etymology

from such a letter in the novel The Scarlet Letter (1850) by Nathaniel Hawthorne

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of scarlet letter was in 1850

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scarlet letter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarlet%20letter. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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