as in curses
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
unleashed a slew of expletives upon losing the tennis match
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Recent Examples of expletives
Anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protesters in Minnesota swarmed the vehicle of conservative influencer Nick Sortor on Sunday, shouting at him and yelling expletives.
—
Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The whole issue of award show expletives came to the Supreme Court twice, the last time in 2012, when the justices struck down fines on Fox Television Stations over expletives uttered by Cher and Nicole Richie during the Billboard Music Awards, as well as nudity that aired on ABC’s NYPD Blue.
—Peter White, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
In October, a controversial video leaked in which Alex can be heard using expletives and berating his younger sister during a rehearsal.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Following Thursday’s practice, Warsofsky spoke to the group at center ice – not barking, but mixing in a few expletives, nevertheless – about the expectations going forward.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
Some members of the crowd flung expletives and insults at the nearby officers, videos showed, expressing disgust at their actions that day.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2025
Piker went on to make a series of lewd remarks, using expletives to refer to and address former Governor Cuomo.
—Sirena Bergman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Giménez stared and shouted toward Wrobleski, who responded with a series of expletives that set chaos in motion.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The expletives aired uncensored during the NBC live telecast and Peacock’s simulcast but were muted during the West Coast broadcast and in versions later posted online, including on YouTube, according to the New York Post.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 12 Jan. 2026
The whole issue of award show expletives came to the Supreme Court twice, the last time in 2012, when the justices struck down fines on Fox Television Stations over expletives uttered by Cher and Nicole Richie during the Billboard Music Awards, as well as nudity that aired on ABC’s NYPD Blue.
—Peter White, Deadline, 11 Jan. 2026
In October, a controversial video leaked in which Alex can be heard using expletives and berating his younger sister during a rehearsal.
—Jenna Ryu, SELF, 8 Jan. 2026
Following Thursday’s practice, Warsofsky spoke to the group at center ice – not barking, but mixing in a few expletives, nevertheless – about the expectations going forward.
—Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
Some members of the crowd flung expletives and insults at the nearby officers, videos showed, expressing disgust at their actions that day.
—Idaho Statesman, 14 Nov. 2025
Piker went on to make a series of lewd remarks, using expletives to refer to and address former Governor Cuomo.
—Sirena Bergman, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Giménez stared and shouted toward Wrobleski, who responded with a series of expletives that set chaos in motion.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
The expletives aired uncensored during the NBC live telecast and Peacock’s simulcast but were muted during the West Coast broadcast and in versions later posted online, including on YouTube, according to the New York Post.
—Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletives
Noun
-
In Jujutsu Kaisen, heroic jujutsu sorcerers wage war against demonic creatures called curses and the curse users, who wield jujutsu powers for evil.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
-
And as relief from one of the greatest curses imaginable – chronic pain – the neuro-key may offer pain modulation without the expense, side effects, and addiction risk of opioids and systemic drugs.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Officers outfitted for combat commingle with Americans screaming obscenities and taunting them.—
Nick Miroff,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The hate group came to the city to wave swastika flags, scream obscenities and generally harass people downtown in July 2024.—
Evan Mealins,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Protesters and police clash Police at one point threw devices releasing smoke to break up the crowd, which carried signs and shouted profanities at them.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Not being in the top 10 among Pro Bowl vote-getters — fans, players and coaches — is a joke worthy of Richard Pryor, complete with the profanities.—
Nick Canepa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Expletives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletives. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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