curse 1 of 2

noun

ˈkərs How to pronounce curse (audio)
Definition of cursenext
1
as in condemnation
a prayer that harm will come to someone uttered a curse upon his persecutor from the scaffold

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2
as in swear
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression started muttering curses after hitting his thumb with the hammer

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3
as in bane
a source of harm or misfortune intolerance of personal differences is a curse of humanity

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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

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2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to misfortunes and problems seem to have cursed everyone ever associated with that house

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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

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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

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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
Pedro Quezada, Passaic, New Jersey Of all the Powerball millionaires profiled here, Pedro Quezada’s story arguably makes the strongest case for the lottery curse. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026 Clementine, the oldest daughter, takes control to help break out the other children, and Mary, in telling her story publicly, has agency in rectifying the familial curse. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
And with most of the original cast now long gone, the latest sequel often feels as cursed as that treacherous netherworld. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 As a result of her refusal, the entire kingdom is cursed to live without love and anyone who steps foot inside it is also cursed. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for curse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for curse
  1. condemnation
  2. swear
  3. bane
  4. condemn
  5. plague
  6. blame
  7. censure
  8. language
Noun
  • These measures attracted widespread international condemnation, with several countries and the United Nations criticizing the Taliban’s treatment of women.
    — Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Settlers have surrounded three Palestinian houses for more than a week, trapping families inside as Israeli troops declare a closed military zone and Washington issues an unusually sharp condemnation.
    — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemnation
Noun
  • The pinky swear proved binding, as Nelson wrote the screenplay within six weeks.
    — William Earl, Variety, 15 July 2026
  • Why fill with swears a show that might otherwise have been appointment viewing for the whole family?
    — Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 31 May 2026
Definition of swear
Noun
  • The arrangement was aimed at minimizing the number and cost of change orders, which are the bane of construction projects.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Robby might be the bane of everyone’s existence in The Pitt and on the interwebs, but Wyle’s stellar work, especially in the final two episodes of season 2, sealed the deal for a second win that was already locked.
    — Joyce Eng, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of bane
Verb
  • Based on a Joseph Conrad story, the period drama follows two officers in Napoleon’s army (Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel) whose minor quarrel condemns them to 15 years of repeatedly trying to kill each other.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Police opened an investigation earlier this summer into death threats against Gabela left under one of Corben’s posts, which Corben condemned.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of condemn
Verb
  • Poliński said Zosia would likely have been blamed for misfortunes such as disease and famine that often plagued the region in the 17th century, which people sometimes attributed to supernatural activity by the dead.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Frightened that she may be plagued by the same mental illness that felled her mom, Gemma stubbornly refuses to believe anything is wrong.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of plague
Verb
  • Lopez’s family didn’t buy the story and blamed Elias, who was never charged in Lopez’s death.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • For its part, Ring never blamed the ad but said the integration with Flock would require more resources than anticipated.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of blame
Noun
  • While that censure failed, the recall effort is still pending.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Whether Tlaib is motivated by animus toward Moskowitz and Wasserman Schultz for their censure votes and condemnations of her rhetoric, or by support for their progressive opponents Larkin and Manley — or a combination — is unknown.
    — Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of censure
Noun
  • The petition argues Mays’ language during the trial revealed something deeper than a poor defense strategy — a worldview that dehumanized the man he was supposed to defend.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The English-language voice cast features Lenny Henry, while five-time Grammy Award-winners Michael League and Bob Lanzetti of Snarky Puppy contribute to the original score.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of language

Browse Nearby Words

curs
curse
cursed
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Cite this Entry

“Curse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/curse. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on curse

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about curse

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