dirty word

noun

Definition of dirty wordnext
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 Today, unfortunately, civics has become a dirty word. — Ken Burns, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2026 Prohibition has been a dirty word in American public policy since the Twenty-First Amendment passed. — Charles Fain Lehman, The Atlantic, 4 May 2026 In an era when disco was still a dirty word, the foursome fully embraced dance music. — Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 3 May 2026 Sometimes nostalgia can be a dirty word, and Tiga avoids a wholesale rehash of his earlier work by recalibrating his sound to incorporate multiple other electronic genres. — Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty word
  1. curse
  2. swear
  3. language
Noun
  • King portrays her older daughter, Kylie, who sets out to break the family’s curse, and Williams steps into the shoes of the younger daughter, Antonia.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But the Owens family’s 300-year-old curse carries one generation forward, striking Sally’s daughter Kylie and her lover (Xolo Maridueña), who gets hit by a car while bicycling with several bouquets of roses.
    — Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of curse
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
  • Speaking to Radio Jornalera NJ, an independent Spanish language media outlet, Lopez-Cornejo’s mother, María, said her son took medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, and seizures.
    — Alex Stambaugh, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
  • That language was taken from an earlier regulatory proposal that went before a Quorum Court committee, the Kutak Rock attorney noted.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of language

Browse Nearby Words

dirty tricks
dirty word
dirty words
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty%20word. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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