as in curse
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
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Recent Examples of four-letter word
In an audio excerpt, an air traffic controller can be heard uttering a four-letter word.
—
Livia Albeck-Ripka, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2023
Their cackling machinations to keep their seats and punish opponents, all while insulting Black people, Oaxacans and others, made the very idea of Latino political power a four-letter word.
—Gustavo Arellanocolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2022
Mater Dei Catholic tennis coach Jose Oropeza says there is a four-letter word that is unacceptable on his team.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022
If ever there was a time to let loose with a four-letter word, this was it.
—Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for four-letter word
Livia Albeck-Ripka, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2023
Their cackling machinations to keep their seats and punish opponents, all while insulting Black people, Oaxacans and others, made the very idea of Latino political power a four-letter word.
—Gustavo Arellanocolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2022
Mater Dei Catholic tennis coach Jose Oropeza says there is a four-letter word that is unacceptable on his team.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Nov. 2022
If ever there was a time to let loose with a four-letter word, this was it.
—Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for four-letter word
Recent Examples of Synonyms for four-letter word
Noun
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Perfection is a blessing and a curse for Virgo parents.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
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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
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There are a lot of people who see efficiency in agriculture as kind of a dirty word but efficiency saves resources.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
10 July 2025
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Profit isn’t a dirty word and there is no shame in financial ambition.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
Noun
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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
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It was trained on the entire Internet to pull out statistical patterns in the language usage.—
Alex Morris,
Rolling Stone,
14 July 2025
Noun
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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
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The word was forbidden in their household and treated like a swear.—
Ariana Yaptangco,
Glamour,
22 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Four-letter word.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/four-letter%20word. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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