1
as in insults
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
a rowdy group of patrons was kicked out of the theater for shouting slurs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stains
a mark of guilt or disgrace
your drunken behavior at the wedding has cast a slur on this family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slurs
Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
The rule was inspired by a February dispute between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in which Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey and allegedly used racial slurs.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 2 May 2026
The pair of agressive projects contained racial slurs as well as overly homophobic and misogynistic language.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
It is riddled with slurs, beginning with its title, and, much like his song about Anita Bryant, reinforces various harmful stereotypes, this time about Black people.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
In recent months, swastikas and racial slurs were spray-painted outside an office in Boca Raton, and antisemitic language was etched into handrails at a local park.
—Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Davidson excused himself from the ceremony and later issued an apology, although the BBC sparked controversy for failing to edit the slurs out of the broadcast until hours after the fact.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
None of the students involved in a group chat that shared racist slurs and antisemitic speech have faced suspension or expulsion since the chats came to light five weeks ago and Nuñez announced stiff punishments were on the table.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The businessman and father was living in kind of a hell associated with a Third World dungeon -- complete with racial slurs.
—Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
During an episode of the Nightcap podcast, Johnson claimed Metcalf told him that Kennedy used racial slurs during the altercation, an allegation Kennedy has denied.
—Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 2 May 2026
The rule was inspired by a February dispute between Vinícius Júnior and Gianluca Prestianni in which Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey and allegedly used racial slurs.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 2 May 2026
The pair of agressive projects contained racial slurs as well as overly homophobic and misogynistic language.
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026
It is riddled with slurs, beginning with its title, and, much like his song about Anita Bryant, reinforces various harmful stereotypes, this time about Black people.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
In recent months, swastikas and racial slurs were spray-painted outside an office in Boca Raton, and antisemitic language was etched into handrails at a local park.
—Laurence Milstein, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
Davidson excused himself from the ceremony and later issued an apology, although the BBC sparked controversy for failing to edit the slurs out of the broadcast until hours after the fact.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2026
None of the students involved in a group chat that shared racist slurs and antisemitic speech have faced suspension or expulsion since the chats came to light five weeks ago and Nuñez announced stiff punishments were on the table.
—Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026
The businessman and father was living in kind of a hell associated with a Third World dungeon -- complete with racial slurs.
—Troy Roberts, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slurs
Noun
-
The president has spent a decade calling his rivals communists and traitors, among other hyperbolic insults.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
28 Apr. 2026
-
According to Politico, the conversation was nothing but a tirade of insults.—
Tom Jurkowsky,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Photos showed large, blue stains on the counter and floor, indicating blood had been cleaned from those areas.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
Pre-treat stains on your oven mitts and throw them in the washing machine in warm or hot water with the towels.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Is that panic, when the flute trills high?—
Linnie Greene,
Pitchfork,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
First seen at a night-club table of menacing lowlifes, Ida, whose mother tongue is Brooklynese, suddenly switches to a heavy British accent and dispenses a torrent of highly literary sarcasms.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The songs spread outward from Morris’ small voice like paper towel blots.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When tetraploid and diploid plants are crossed, pollen from the diploids is brushed onto the stigmas of the tetraploids.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
The market — deliberately not referred to as a pantry to slash stigmas around emergency food — opened in February through a partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Richard Marx croons his way onto Billboard’s jazz charts for the first time in a career as a lead recording artist that dates back almost 40 years.—
Gary Trust,
Billboard,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Murray — beloved for iconic roles in Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack and other films — croons spirited renditions of timeless songs, from Bob Dylan to the Kinks to Tommy Tutone.—
Travis Pinson,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
His body may be showing its age, but his mind still hums like the Big House before kickoff.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
Now, with the case of Reiner, the machinery hums again.—
Maxwell Adler,
Vanity Fair,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slurs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slurs. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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