curse 1 of 2

Definition of cursenext

curse

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to imprecate
to ask a divine power to send harm or evil upon I curse the guy who had the idea of having annoying salespeople call up innocent people to sell them things they don't want

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in to swear
to use offensive or indecent language you'll have to put a quarter in the jar every time you curse

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in to blame
to use profane or obscene language at or about cursed him for showing up late, when he knew how important it was to be on time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of curse
Noun
That method sounds eerily like a curse from an ancient pre-production god, but Cronin honors it as a complete artistic philosophy. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Apr. 2026 In the first story, a couple worry about how a possible family curse that began when an ancestor made a bargain to escape enslavement might affect their happy life. Emma Alpern, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
Authorities said before the shooting, Quijano had become angry and had been cursing at employees at Bulldog Ale House, and was asked to leave. Adam Harrington, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 Based on the 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic follows the witchy women of the Owens’ family, whose heartbroken ancestor cursed their bloodline so that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies a tragic death. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for curse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curse
Noun
  • With a few notable exceptions, Leo kept his political remarks to the leaders largely diplomatic, using a language of encouragement and subtle messaging rather than headline-grabbing condemnations.
    NICOLE WINFIELD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 24 Apr. 2026
  • With a few notable exceptions, Leo kept his political remarks to the leaders largely diplomatic, using a language of encouragement and subtle messaging rather than headline-grabbing condemnations.
    Nicole Winfield, Fortune, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The event finds more than 20,000 people participating in an annual bar crawl throughout the city while dressed in their best holiday attire, tackiest Santa Claus costumes, and ugliest Christmas swears.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
  • Kennedy could be heard hurling swears at the Swedish team.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Sargassum, the stinky, slimy bane of beachgoers worldwide, is forecast to swarm over Florida's beaches this summer, experts say.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Political instability has been a bane, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year term.
    Reuters, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The tennis elbows that forced him to miss the first few months of the 2025 season still require maintenance, and he’s been plagued by various lower-body injuries throughout his Yankees career.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Pablo Escobar's reign of terror didn't end with his death and continues today in the form of a horde of hippos plaguing the Colombian countryside.
    Carlie Procell, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had blamed Washington for the failure of talks on brokering a deal to end the fighting, with a ceasefire between the sides still holding.
    April 27, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Some, like Steyer, argue the state has been held hostage by corporate interests and utility monopolies, while others, like Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, argue unions, trial lawyers and state regulations are to blame for high costs.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The censure appears to be the first in recent memory at Judson ISD.
    Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Potential punishments included a reprimand or a censure, which serve as forms of public rebuke.
    Kevin Freking, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Across collectors, cultural institutions and design circles, perfume bottles are increasingly being recognized not as packaging, but as artifacts — objects that preserve history, identity and the visual language of their time.
    Sudhir Gupta, Rolling Stone, 27 Apr. 2026
  • The milquetoast nature of the statement — with its measured language and nonexistent call to action — and the broader absence of real accountability have nagged at me for weeks.
    Uzma Rentia, STAT, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Flyers steamrolled through the first three games against their long-time nemesis in Crosby and the Penguins.
    CBS News, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The sequel revolves around journalist Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) reuniting with her former nemesis editor Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) to save the fashion magazine.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Curse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curse. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on curse

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster