as in swearing
to use offensive or indecent language
the little girl clapped her hands over her ears when her brother started cussing
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cussing
The pastor seems to enjoy cussing, or half-cussing, while on the green.
—
Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Many would consider cussing those law enforcement officers an act of rebellious patriotism.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Many would consider cussing those law enforcement officers an act of rebellious patriotism.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cussing
Verb
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The incident has sparked outrage in the film community and online over BAFTA and the BBC’s decision not to cut the racial slur and swearing from the initial broadcast, despite the show airing with a two-hour delay.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
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Davidson’s Tourette’s causes involuntary tics, and he could be heard swearing at several points during last night’s ceremony.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
23 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The criminal complaint alleges Ortiz was shouting and cursing during the game, leading to a verbal dispute with an assistant coach on the other team.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Feb. 2026
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His symptoms include tics and uncontrollable outbursts, which often involve cursing and using expletive language.—
Pamela Avila,
USA Today,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cussing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cussing. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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