expletive

noun

ˈek-splə-tiv How to pronounce expletive (audio)
Definition of expletivenext
as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression unleashed a slew of expletives upon losing the tennis match

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 expletive Moments after McBride complained to Seeman about the play, sideline cameras showed Seeman mouthing inaudible words, appearing to be expletives, to McBride, who seemed surprised by Seeman’s conduct. — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2026 But Wicks didn’t understand his signal caller, and that led to an expletive being heard on the FOX broadcast. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Even Bradley makes an appearance this season, storming out of a conversation in a cloud of expletives in the trailer. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2026 Some Providence parents shook their heads as the clock wound down; others shouted expletives toward school administrators and Nazareth players. — Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for expletive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletive
  1. curse
  2. swear
  3. language
  4. profanity
  5. epithet
  6. vulgarism
  7. cuss
Noun
  • Lakshmana faces a difficult decision—whether to break Rama’s command or to allow the sage to unleash his curse.
    — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Its quoting is generally accompanied by a Nicholson impression of dubious quality, which is both a curse and an opportunity for director Michael Arden’s expansive new production and its current star, Bradley Whitford.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 30 Oct. 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
  • The language of the legislation that passed the House calls for an immediate adoption of year-round daylight saving time by rewriting a federal law that sets time across the country.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Chanting in multiple languages filled the room and reverberated all around, the voices of the cantors at the kliros blending with the voices of the collective.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • Referee Bill Vinovich said afterward that Vrabel was flagged for using profanity toward an official.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • According to disciplinary documents obtained by CBS Colorado, Olson used profanity and made derogatory comments about fellow officers, department command staff, and the department generally while discussing the Craig investigation.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of profanity
Noun
  • In the lawsuit, the family also claimed that an Oaks Christian School teacher accused their son of lying about the harassment after a student called him a racial epithet inside a classroom.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The American Civil Liberties Union sued in February, alleging officers hurled racial epithets, acted violently, and largely withheld food, water, bathrooms and medical care.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of epithet
Noun
  • 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
Definition of vulgarism
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
  • My grandmother extended a ladder up into this tough old cuss of a tree and climbed up, at some risk, to pick the bulging fruit.
    — Jim Meddleton, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 May 2024
Definition of cuss

Browse Nearby Words

explanatory
expletive
expletives
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Cite this Entry

“Expletive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletive. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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