dirty word

as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression I'm afraid I won't be much help on the trip—the only Spanish I know is a handful of dirty words

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 dirty word There are a lot of people who see efficiency in agriculture as kind of a dirty word but efficiency saves resources. Miami Herald, 10 July 2025 Laura Washington: Donald Trump achieves a notorious distinction in his first 100 days DEI is under attack by Trump, who sees diversity as a dirty word, even a crime. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2025 Compromise is not a dirty word. CBS News, 9 Mar. 2025 In many parts of the country, NAFTA is still a dirty word. Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty word
Noun
  • Whether that money becomes a blessing or a curse may depend less on the number of zeros than on the method of transfer.
    Christina Binkley, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The Cubs fell behind, three games to one, but then went into curse-buster mode … and won Game 5 (at Wrigley), Game 6 (in Cleveland) and Game 7 (in Cleveland).
    Jayson Stark, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Does Taylor Swift swear on 'The Life of a Showgirl'?
    Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Don’t pretend the cure for coarse speech is a swear jar.
    Eric Preven, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The series has hit the Netflix Top 10 in all 93 countries that the company measures; Season 4 was the first-ever English-language series to cross 1 billion hours streamed on the platform, and continues to be the streamer’s third-most-popular English-language TV title.
    Kate Aurthur, Variety, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Befitting of JJJJound’s minimalist, premium design language, each pair is light on flair, letting the Speedcat’s iconic silhouette and high-quality materials do the heavy lifting here.
    Riley Jones, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty%20word. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

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