four-letter words

plural of four-letter word
as in curses
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression clapped her hands over the toddler's ears so he wouldn't hear the four-letter word

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for four-letter words
Noun
  • In other cases Hoodoo was used to counter the threat of curses, as in the practice of suspending bottles from a tree to trap any malevolent spirits or witches traveling in spirit form.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The cumulative impression of Alice that the book leaves is of someone moving serenely through life, meeting fond blessings and awful curses both with the same calm equanimity.
    Ian Penman, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Food, France, Family and the Stew that Saved my Soul, Sylvie Bigar explores the world in search of unsung culinary delights and vibrant destinations, armed with three passports and four languages.
    Sylvie Bigar, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • As for the universality of her hypnotic, soulful sound and her dynamic, jazzy mezzo-soprano voice, Kidjo’s singing in five languages (Fon, French, Yorùbá, Gen-Mina and English) has forever been key to the funk, its frankness and her grace.
    A.D. Amorosi, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • Kennedy could be heard hurling swears at the Swedish team.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Feb. 2026
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.

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“Four-letter words.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/four-letter%20words. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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