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
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
Just a few days earlier in California, a house that had been decorated with lights celebrating Chanukah was riddled with bullets, with the assailant having been heard to yell anti-Jewish epithets.
—Rabbi Steve Roth, Sun Sentinel, 6 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
According to research from Copyleaks, an AI analysis firm that helps businesses and institutions navigate the shifting landscape of this emergent technology, a new trend has produced Sora videos of celebrities appearing to spew hateful racist epithets.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Then there was the woman who was Speaker of the House and would walk around talking to herself, screaming out epithets to imaginary people.
—Larry David, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
Terrell represented a Black teenager who’d been expelled from a Los Angeles high school for punching a white referee during a football game after the referee allegedly had directed racial epithets at him.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
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
Just a few days earlier in California, a house that had been decorated with lights celebrating Chanukah was riddled with bullets, with the assailant having been heard to yell anti-Jewish epithets.
—Rabbi Steve Roth, Sun Sentinel, 6 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
According to research from Copyleaks, an AI analysis firm that helps businesses and institutions navigate the shifting landscape of this emergent technology, a new trend has produced Sora videos of celebrities appearing to spew hateful racist epithets.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Then there was the woman who was Speaker of the House and would walk around talking to herself, screaming out epithets to imaginary people.
—Larry David, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2025
Terrell represented a Black teenager who’d been expelled from a Los Angeles high school for punching a white referee during a football game after the referee allegedly had directed racial epithets at him.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epithets
Noun
-
New sports have been added to the program and with that come new terms or nicknames for tactics, maneuvers or objects that beginner fans might not be familiar with.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The nicknames aren’t really that inspiring on either side just yet.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
2 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Rockrohr used both sides of this visual coin, telling of groundwork done by the late Harry Teshima to bring Black residents into the community and tales of lasting friendships and stories of insults thrown at Black students.—
Jerry Shnay,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The scuffles came amid an already intense night, with tensions fueled by a brutal press conference on Thursday for the title fight between Lopez and Stevenson, during which the boxers exchanged insults about each other’s family members.—
Jessica Schladebeck,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At the time of the Mendez court decision, segregation was widespread in California’s public schools, with children who had Mexican surnames routinely placed on separate campuses that received fewer resources than those serving White students.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
26 Jan. 2026
-
At least three members of the panel have Hispanic surnames.—
Jason Meisner,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Other monikers from indigenous tribes for this month’s full moon include the sleet moon from the Comanche people, the Creek tribe’s wind moon and the crow moon as named by the Shawnee.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
These monickers are direct byproducts of the city’s historic calling card—blocks of antebellum homes maintained since the 1930s by members of Natchez garden clubs.—
Joe Sills,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Epithets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epithets. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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