slur

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈslər 

1

a

: an insulting or disparaging remark or innuendo : aspersion

b

: a shaming or degrading effect : stain, stigma

2

: a blurred spot in printed matter : smudge

slur

2 of 4

verb (1)

slurred; slurring

transitive verb

1

: to cast aspersions on : disparage

slurred his reputation

2

: to make indistinct : obscure

intransitive verb

: to slip so as to cause a slur

—used of a sheet being printed

slur

3 of 4

verb (2)

slurred; slurring

transitive verb

1

a

: to slide or slip over without due mention, consideration, or emphasis

slurred over certain facts

b

: to perform hurriedly : skimp

let him not slur his lesson

—R. W. Emerson

2

: to perform (successive tones of different pitch) in a smooth or connected manner

3

a

: to reduce, make a substitution for, or omit (sounds that would normally occur in an utterance)

b

: to utter with such reduction, substitution, or omission of sounds

his speech was slurred

intransitive verb

1

dialectal, chiefly England : slip, slide

2

: drag, shuffle

slur

4 of 4

noun (2)

1

a

: a curved line connecting notes to be sung to the same syllable or performed without a break

b

: the combination of two or more slurred tones

2

: a slurring manner of speech

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• affront
• barb
• brickbat
• cut
• dart
• dig
• dis [slang]
• diss
• epithet
• gird
• indignity
• insult
• name
• offense
• offence
• outrage
• personality
• poke
• put-down
• sarcasm
• slap
• slight

Examples of slur in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The report had led to the banishment of Ramona Singer, a long-running figure in the Bravo behemoth, from the conference, after she was exposed for allegedly using a racial slur. —Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 17 Nov. 2023

McCollum was attacked in April 2018 in Biddeford by the men, who taunted and shouted racial slurs from their vehicle before a confrontation in which McCollum was struck in the jaw. —Melissa Noel, Essence, 16 Nov. 2023

The suspects reportedly used homophobic slurs during the assault. —Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 8 Nov. 2023

Last month, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a federal lawsuit alleging White employees at Tesla used racial slurs against Black co-workers at the company's factory in Fremont, California. —Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2023

After the younger singer was embroiled in a 2020 scandal involving his use of a slur, Church steadfastly stood by him. —Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 9 Nov. 2023

On Thursday afternoon, a Maryland woman who wears the hijab was in her car with her child at a stop light when she was called a Muslim slur and flashed the middle finger by a woman, NBC Washington reported. —Sakshi Venkatraman, NBC News, 31 Oct. 2023

One research institute found that a campaign on 4chan, a notorious bulletin board, encouraged the use of a particular slur within hours of his arrival, in what seemed to be a coordinated test of the new owner’s tolerance for offensive speech. —Steven Lee Myers, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2023

In a 2020 regular-season game here, the Loyal under then-coach Landon Donovan walked off the field at halftime leading 3-1 in protest of a Phoenix player allegedly uttering a homophobic slur at Collin Martin, an openly gay player. —Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2023

Verb

In that suit, three former employees alleged that racist slurs in English and Spanish were often aimed at Black employees by co-workers and supervisors. —Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2023

The two top Texas Republicans have had a publicly acrimonious relationship which culminated in Paxton accusing Phelan of being drunk on the job after Phelan seemed to slur his words on the House floor. —Michael Williams, Dallas News, 2 Sep. 2023

But his stepfather could barely understand him; Gabriel’s speech was slurred. —Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2023

In 2019, Boston Officer Joseph Lynch was fired after being accused of calling a group of teens slurs, including the n-word, while talking to school officials. —Sean Cotter, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023

But his speaking appeared labored and slightly slurred, and he was guided elsewhere within minutes. —Annie Karni, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2023

Murky trap drums and slurred flows add to the muddy kaleidoscope of emotions that both artists cycle through in the song. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2023

Sloane had been sluggish earlier, but that night Smith’s wife, Elizabeth, noticed their daughter was not using her right arm and was slurring her words. —The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Sep. 2023

There were also reports of Trump slurring words, having difficulty walking and struggling to raise a water glass during his presidency, raising concerns about his age. —Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY, 10 Aug. 2023

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

obsolete English dialect slur thin mud, from Middle English sloor; akin to Middle High German slier mud

Verb (2)

probably from Low German slurrn to shuffle; akin to Middle English sloor mud

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

1660, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Verb (2)

1660, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

circa 1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

slur

1 of 4 verb

ˈslər 

slurred; slurring

1

a

: to slide or slip over without proper mention, consideration, or emphasis

b

: to perform hurriedly : skimp

2

: to sing or play successive musical notes of different pitch in a smooth or connected manner

3

: to speak unclearly

slur

2 of 4 noun

1

a

: a curved line connecting notes to be sung or played without a break

b

: the combination of two or more slurred tones

2

: a slurring manner of speech

slur

3 of 4 verb

slurred; slurring

1

: to make an insulting remark about : disparage

2

: to make unclear : obscure

slur

4 of 4 noun

1

a

: damaging criticism

b

: dishonor entry 1 sense 1, shame

2

: a blurred spot in printed matter : smudge