1
as in nicknames
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
King Richard I of England was given the very laudatory epithet "the Lion-Hearted"
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in insults
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the school has a strict ban against the use of offensive epithets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of epithets
The Chawla said multiple campaign road signs were vandalized with racial epithets in two separate incidents.
—
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 18 May 2026
His nanny was his fierce protector and insulated him from the depredations of Nazis and their enablers, baptizing him and teaching him to handily hurl anti-Jewish epithets to fit in.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
But the singer has often said that his time in the group was an education in both music and prejudice, with audiences cheering on the band during performances, and then hurling punches and racial epithets after their shows.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Tensions rose, neighbors said, to the point that King was heard at times swearing at Kirsten Wells as well as others using vulgar epithets.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
On that day, the mob hurled racist epithets, smoke bombs, and fists at him.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
The doc has also earned the ire of Chase’s former Community co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, who firmly distanced herself from it and all attempts to reinvestigate Chase’s firing from the show amid accusations of hurling racial epithets.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
Even the epithets for the Kansas City Chiefs are built on divisional rivalry and that team’s long track record of success, not sneering dismissiveness.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 18 May 2026
His nanny was his fierce protector and insulated him from the depredations of Nazis and their enablers, baptizing him and teaching him to handily hurl anti-Jewish epithets to fit in.
—Ron Kampeas, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
But the singer has often said that his time in the group was an education in both music and prejudice, with audiences cheering on the band during performances, and then hurling punches and racial epithets after their shows.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Tensions rose, neighbors said, to the point that King was heard at times swearing at Kirsten Wells as well as others using vulgar epithets.
—Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2026
On that day, the mob hurled racist epithets, smoke bombs, and fists at him.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Feb. 2026
When the time came for Alan Cumming to cease deliberations, Michael was reduced to sputtering epithets in random sequences.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
The doc has also earned the ire of Chase’s former Community co-star Yvette Nicole Brown, who firmly distanced herself from it and all attempts to reinvestigate Chase’s firing from the show amid accusations of hurling racial epithets.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 30 Dec. 2025
Even the epithets for the Kansas City Chiefs are built on divisional rivalry and that team’s long track record of success, not sneering dismissiveness.
—Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 30 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epithets
Noun
-
Haida Gwaii, formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands, is a place with many nicknames.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
The players, who mostly went by unique nicknames, had to be over the age of 18, not currently playing in college and have played in fewer than 162 NBA games to be eligible to compete.—
Jason Beede,
Sun Sentinel,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
But between rapid-fire questions and candidates hurling insults or talking over one another, the chaotic nature of some debate moments did little to help undecided voters make up their minds about their preferred candidate, some political observers said.—
Linh Tat,
Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Sometimes, there’s no better way to pay tribute to a dear friend than by lambasting them with insults.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Such hospitality was reserved for a narrow category of humanity, resembling as closely as possible those local barons whose surnames crusted the stones of local cemeteries.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Apr. 2026
-
The top five American surnames — Smith, Johnson, Williams, Brown and Jones — remained unchanged from 2010 to 2020, but Asian surnames surged to become the fastest-growing in the decade.—
Mike Schneider,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Her name is Hawaiian, just like the monikers of her older sister and father, who was born Travis Kuualiialoha Browne in Honolulu, per E!—
Maddie Garfinkle,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
With Wednesday’s announcement, McDonald’s Park will join the pantheon of Chicago sports venues branded with corporate monikers, including Wrigley Field, United Center and Rate Field.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epithets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epithets. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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