as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
I'm afraid I won't be much help on the trip—the only Spanish I know is a handful of dirty words
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 dirty word
In many parts of the country, NAFTA is still a dirty word.
—
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025
Compromise is not a dirty word.
—CBS News, 9 Mar. 2025
Butter doesn't have to be a dirty word.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2024
Comedy was a dirty word for us in the ‘90s.
—Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Tobias Burns, The Hill, 3 Feb. 2025
Compromise is not a dirty word.
—CBS News, 9 Mar. 2025
Butter doesn't have to be a dirty word.
—Margaux Anbouba, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2024
Comedy was a dirty word for us in the ‘90s.
—Frank Digiacomo, Billboard, 17 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty word
Noun
-
Perfection is a blessing and a curse for Virgo parents.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
-
Also, the fact that Ken gets cursed by a crazy old ghost actually helps Momo in her alien abduction predicament, with Momo’s newfound spiritual abilities helping to curb Ken’s curse.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Bonus: For every 100ml bottle sold, Omorovicza donates 5% to Water.org, supporting global access to safe water. Jones Road Miracle Balm, $40 Women over 50 swear by this award-winning, Bobbi Brown-founded brand for its nourishing and hydrating qualities.—
Kristen Philipkoski,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
-
The word was forbidden in their household and treated like a swear.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The guidance encourages agencies to explore alternatives such as artificial intelligence and machine translation where minimal assistance in other languages remains appropriate.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
14 July 2025
-
It was trained on the entire Internet to pull out statistical patterns in the language usage.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty%20word. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share