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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.
For so long, the D-word has been treated like a modern scarlet letter—a mark of shame rather than a life stage that millions of people go through each year. Jenna Ryu, SELF, 14 Nov. 2025 However, at the time, the film's withering reception proved to be something of a scarlet letter for Berkley's burgeoning movie career. Edward Segarra, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025 Among many Jews, simply voting Republican can feel like wearing a scarlet letter. Caren Leven, Baltimore Sun, 10 Aug. 2025 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 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 26 Nov. 2025.

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