as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
unleashed a slew of expletives upon losing the tennis match
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expletive
Most who try, though, end up offering this simple structure, often involving an expletive and an inflection that nearly crosses the vocal threshold from overwhelming admiration into admonition.
—
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
This car will induce whiplash in the unprepared and expletives from those who have been forewarned.
—Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
The full-length rerecording—now shorn of expletives—celebrates the record’s 10th anniversary (with the unintended consequence of sparking a discourse about Toledo’s ostensible religious views).
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Videos of her confronting the woman and yelling expletives at gym staffers about the gymgoer’s genitalia went viral, landing her interviews with TMZ, Fox News and conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for expletive
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
This car will induce whiplash in the unprepared and expletives from those who have been forewarned.
—Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 26 May 2026
The full-length rerecording—now shorn of expletives—celebrates the record’s 10th anniversary (with the unintended consequence of sparking a discourse about Toledo’s ostensible religious views).
—Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Videos of her confronting the woman and yelling expletives at gym staffers about the gymgoer’s genitalia went viral, landing her interviews with TMZ, Fox News and conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for expletive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletive
Noun
-
Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
Courtside seats at Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 will be the most expensive tickets in NBA history as the Knicks try to end their 53-year championship curse against the greatest physical force ever in basketball.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
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The event finds more than 20,000 people participating in an annual bar crawl throughout the city while dressed in their best holiday attire, tackiest Santa Claus costumes, and ugliest Christmas swears.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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Kennedy could be heard hurling swears at the Swedish team.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The titular bear, who communicates with the girl through language—seemingly telepathic—plays a crucial role in her survival.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
The term English learners is defined by the Illinois State Board of Education as students who do not meet certain English proficiency standards and whose home language background is a language other than English.—
Addison Wright,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Democrats use profanity to go viral.—
Nicole Russell,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
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These examples are among the more tame messages — many are laced with profanity and references to violence.—
Maven Navarro
June 3,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Tape recordings played during the case also showed Fuhrman had used a racial epithet despite his testimony claiming to never have done so.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
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The Chawla said multiple campaign road signs were vandalized with racial epithets in two separate incidents.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
Noun
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As the Oxford English Dictionary notes, the expression not hardly is considered a vulgarism.—
NR Editors,
National Review,
16 Apr. 2020
-
The British cringed over new American accents, coinages and vulgarisms.—
Time,
Time,
11 June 2019
Noun
-
He’d just been followed down a country highway by an angry mob, which screamed cusses and gave him the finger.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
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And, when the alarm wails hours before dawn, human cusses of angry protest join the chorus of budget appliances failing before their time.—
Virginia Konchan,
The New Yorker,
30 Sep. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Expletive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletive. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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