as in curses
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
a rap song that is filled with profanities
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Recent Examples of profanities
Shrewdly, Jones opens the film with Davidson, as portrayed by Aramayo, attending a reception, where the late Queen Elizabeth II presents him with an honor, and the ceremony is accompanied by the sound of profanities issued from Davidson’s mouth.
—
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
At 21 seconds, the person filming the video drives past the confrontation, and the camera swings to the other side of the street as someone in the car yells profanities.
—Kif Leswing,terri Cullen, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Onlookers immediately rose up in anger and outrage, screaming at the agents and shouting profanities.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
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, 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
Oscar Solarzano, a 33-year-old Honduran man who is in the country illegally and banned from Charlotte’s public transit, was being disruptive and using profanities while riding the Blue Line, according to the letter.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025
There’s a Sondheimian rhythm to its profanities, and its exorbitantly long music montages swell with unguarded feeling.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
More people in tactical police vests get inside the vehicle, as an angry crowd forms around it, yelling profanities.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 27 Jan. 2026
At 21 seconds, the person filming the video drives past the confrontation, and the camera swings to the other side of the street as someone in the car yells profanities.
—Kif Leswing,terri Cullen, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026
Onlookers immediately rose up in anger and outrage, screaming at the agents and shouting profanities.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
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, 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
Oscar Solarzano, a 33-year-old Honduran man who is in the country illegally and banned from Charlotte’s public transit, was being disruptive and using profanities while riding the Blue Line, according to the letter.
—Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025
There’s a Sondheimian rhythm to its profanities, and its exorbitantly long music montages swell with unguarded feeling.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025
More people in tactical police vests get inside the vehicle, as an angry crowd forms around it, yelling profanities.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profanities
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
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The crowd, rapidly swelling into the hundreds, screamed insults and obscenities at the agents, some of whom shouted back mockingly.—
Jack Brook,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Heads hung low, players consoling one another or screaming obscenities at no one in particular, the care factor off the charts.—
Mirjam Swanson The Orange County Register,
Arkansas Online,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
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At the Whipple federal building, a large group of federal officers clad in riot gear moved toward protesters, who responded with chants of expletives and boos.—
Natasha Bertrand,
CNN Money,
18 Jan. 2026
-
Garcia responds to the officer using expletives.—
Shaquille Brewster,
NBC news,
16 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The records themselves are not easy to use; manuscripts are shelved around the world, and the texts, written in four different European languages, still have not been fully brought together in modern translations and analysis.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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Its sequel Dhurandhar 2 is scheduled for theatrical release March 19, 2026, in five languages — Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam — expanding significantly beyond the original's Hindi-only strategy.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Profanities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanities. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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