cuss 1 of 2

noun

ˈkəs How to pronounce cuss (audio)
Definition of cussnext
as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression a man who has never uttered a single cuss

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

cuss

2 of 2

verb

as in to swear
to use offensive or indecent language the little girl clapped her hands over her ears when her brother started cussing

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 cuss
Noun
My grandmother extended a ladder up into this tough old cuss of a tree and climbed up, at some risk, to pick the bulging fruit. — Jim Meddleton, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2024 This California school board president has 2 DUIs and cusses. — Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2023
Verb
As members of both teams poured onto the field, Miller stood his ground and started aggressively pointing at and cussing out more Reds, directing them back towards their dugout. — Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 His endless threats, coupled with his waves of cussing, make Trump sound like a drunk in a bar looking for a fight. — Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cuss
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cuss
  1. curse
  2. swear
  3. language
  4. profanity
  5. expletive
Noun
  • This caveat could be a blessing and a curse, warned Sridhar Tayur, a professor of operations management at Carnegie Mellon University.
    — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 19 July 2026
  • However, the one who came up with it happened to be the first baseman from the 2016 curse-breaking Cubs.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 July 2026
Definition of curse
Verb
  • That means another trip to Curry Gate might be in my future — along with visits to the other Charlotte restaurants that readers swear serve some of the city’s hottest dishes.
    — Evan Moore July 15, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
  • News of the fire reached musician Linda Ronstadt, who swore that Dan Tana’s served the best plate of spaghetti in the world.
    — Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Definition of swear
Noun
  • Senators Lummis and Bernie Moreno (OH) met with White House officials to discuss the bill and explore potential ethics language.
    — Cleve Mesidor, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • The film boasts an A-list lineup for its English language voice cast, with stars including Ayo Edebiri, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Finn Wolfhard, Rachel House and Werner Herzog.
    — Alex Ritman, Variety, 20 July 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • Wilde read on social media that the tune actually inspired a movie theater meet-cute, as Nash mutters profanity mid-song.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 11 July 2026
  • The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations described the threats as two profanity-laced, threatening audio messages left for the center.
    — Paula Wethington, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of profanity
Noun
  • Lewis Hamilton would have been justified in firing off a few expletives himself.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 20 July 2026
  • The team’s general manager backed up the claim that expletives were used.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of expletive

Browse Nearby Words

cusps
cuss
cussed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cuss.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cuss. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All