as in curses
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
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Recent Examples of expletives
And the Panthers’ fourth-year quarterback let loose with a couple of expletives that grabbed everyone’s attention, including media members standing nearby.
—
Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 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
Armenians at home and in the diaspora voiced their outrage at the friendly message, drawing up grievances and cursing the government, often with expletives.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
To be sure, protesters have often engaged in hostile behavior, hurling expletives, getting in agents’ faces and occasionally becoming violent.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
The man pushed Littrell's phone away, and the two began filming each other and hurling expletives.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
On some of her livestreams, she can be seen screaming expletives in the face of police officers.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Joseph Person, New York Times, 27 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
Armenians at home and in the diaspora voiced their outrage at the friendly message, drawing up grievances and cursing the government, often with expletives.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
To be sure, protesters have often engaged in hostile behavior, hurling expletives, getting in agents’ faces and occasionally becoming violent.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
The man pushed Littrell's phone away, and the two began filming each other and hurling expletives.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
On some of her livestreams, she can be seen screaming expletives in the face of police officers.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletives
Noun
-
Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
-
This energy can even cause a jinx, curses or even death.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
While the council remained inside to finish the meeting, including approving a local emergency declaration, police were outside where a small mob gathered, yelling obscenities at the officers.—
Victoria Le,
Oc Register,
27 May 2026
-
Officers, often summoned by principals or teacers, escalated some situations by shouting obscenities or insults.—
Clare Amari,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
In the video, the man can be heard screaming profanities while holding a baseball bat outside the window before getting out of the car and approaching the couple.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
-
At one point, a man appears to emerge from the home and yell profanities in Spanish in the direction of the dump truck.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Chawla said multiple campaign road signs were vandalized with racial epithets in two separate incidents.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Expletives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletives. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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