profanity

noun

prō-ˈfa-nə-tē How to pronounce profanity (audio)
Definition of profanitynext
1
as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression a rap song that is filled with profanities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in vulgarity
the quality or state of being obscene once notorious for its profanity, that 1950s best seller will strike today's readers as lamentably tame

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 profanity Now, if that fan crosses the line with death threats and extreme profanity, by all means, kick them out of the ballpark. — Geoff Clark Outkick, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 At first the request elicits trademark Ramsayian profanity. — James Horncastle, New York Times, 24 June 2026 There are faint smudges of pastel crayon on the wall and carved profanities with paint chips revealing the previous cerulean walls. — Ashley Andreou, STAT, 22 June 2026 Diversity, equity, and inclusion (referred to as EDI by the ALA) titles are also targeted, along with books depicting suicide, drugs, satanism, witchcraft, and profanity. — Spin Team, SPIN, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for profanity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for profanity
  1. curse
  2. vulgarity
  3. language
  4. grossness
  5. swear
  6. obscenity
  7. expletive
  8. crudeness
Noun
  • That 2016 film introduced Johnson as demigod Maui alongside Auli’i Cravalho as the titular girl with exceptional navigation skills, with the pair teaming up to stop a curse from targeting her island.
    — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 11 July 2026
  • Everything the man is touching nowadays turns into gold for him and rot for the rest of us, a curse any smart person would avoid.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of curse
Noun
  • The once-vaunted values of public life are now reduced to the lower standards of private life—venality, vulgarity, rudeness, incontinence, and ignorance.
    — Simon Sebag Montefiore, The Atlantic, 28 June 2026
  • Benoit delights in language as much as her heroine, weaving Regency-era slang throughout and appending a chapter-by-chapter glossary of vulgarities.
    — Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 19 June 2026
Definition of vulgarity
Noun
  • Handwritten messages in Thai and other languages, including Korean, were left alongside white flowers, expressing condolences to the victims.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
  • The author’s debut novel was published in 1974, spent 14 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and has been translated into more than 35 languages.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Definition of language
Noun
  • All your Dad has to do is fill it and drink—the microfilter membrane will do the rest by removing chlorine odors, dirt, bacteria, and any other grossness floating around in there.
    — Francesca Krempa, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
  • There are no great surprises from here on out, though the sheer, lusty grossness of the fallout is occasionally startling.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of grossness
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of swear
Noun
  • Right next to her crowd of women's sports advocates was a mosh of pro-transgender activists wearing costumes and shouting obscenities.
    — Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • An original call for service indicated that suspects pulled up to a CBS media vehicle and began shouting racial obscenities at a CBS cameraman who is Black, a law enforcement source said.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2026
Definition of obscenity
Noun
  • The footage, published by the Idaho State Journal, shows that an exchange of expletives ensued.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
  • Bat met ball and, under his breath, Astros manager Joe Espada muttered an expletive.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 29 June 2026
Definition of expletive
Noun
  • There’s some rudeness, aggressive conversations, and crudeness, but nothing too over the top.
    — Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of crudeness

Browse Nearby Words

profanities
profanity
profess
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Cite this Entry

“Profanity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/profanity. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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