as in curses
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
unleashed a slew of expletives upon losing the tennis match
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expletives
The full-length rerecording—now shorn of expletives—celebrates the record’s 10th anniversary (with the unintended consequence of sparking a discourse about Toledo’s ostensible religious views).
—
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Videos of her confronting the woman and yelling expletives at gym staffers about the gymgoer’s genitalia went viral, landing her interviews with TMZ, Fox News and conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Armenians at home and in the diaspora voiced their outrage at the friendly message, drawing up grievances and cursing the government, often with expletives.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
But this season many chanted expletives during fixtures against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
To be sure, protesters have often engaged in hostile behavior, hurling expletives, getting in agents’ faces and occasionally becoming violent.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
The man pushed Littrell's phone away, and the two began filming each other and hurling expletives.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
On some of her livestreams, she can be seen screaming expletives in the face of police officers.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Hurley's mother, Christine, was among them and in true Hurley family fashion let a few expletives fly after the last-second win.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Videos of her confronting the woman and yelling expletives at gym staffers about the gymgoer’s genitalia went viral, landing her interviews with TMZ, Fox News and conservative podcaster Megyn Kelly.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
Armenians at home and in the diaspora voiced their outrage at the friendly message, drawing up grievances and cursing the government, often with expletives.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
But this season many chanted expletives during fixtures against Fulham and Crystal Palace.
—Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2026
To be sure, protesters have often engaged in hostile behavior, hurling expletives, getting in agents’ faces and occasionally becoming violent.
—A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026
The man pushed Littrell's phone away, and the two began filming each other and hurling expletives.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
On some of her livestreams, she can be seen screaming expletives in the face of police officers.
—Brian Maass, CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026
Hurley's mother, Christine, was among them and in true Hurley family fashion let a few expletives fly after the last-second win.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expletives
Noun
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All visitors who paid for entry were told that only kind words would be tolerated, and any hurtful words or curses would result in immediate expulsion from the tent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
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Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Noun
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Richard howled obscenities at three officers who were talking to him through the locked door.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
27 Apr. 2026
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After being placed in a government vehicle, Ferreira Borges allegedly kicked, flailed, and screamed obscenities at officers, officials said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Hathaway made a diving signal several times with his hand and mouthed some profanities.—
Tom Dougherty,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
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At one point, a man appears to emerge from the home and yell profanities in Spanish in the direction of the dump truck.—
Greg Norman-Diamond,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Chawla said multiple campaign road signs were vandalized with racial epithets in two separate incidents.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
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His nanny was his fierce protector and insulated him from the depredations of Nazis and their enablers, baptizing him and teaching him to handily hurl anti-Jewish epithets to fit in.—
Ron Kampeas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Expletives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expletives. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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