1
as in insult
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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stain
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
1
2
as in to insult
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 slur
Max Goldbart, Deadline, 10 May 2026
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
Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Someone suffering hypothermia might appear uncoordinated or slur their speech.
—Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slur
Noun
Hosted by comedian Greg Davies, tonight’s awards represented BAFTA and the BBC’s first big test since the Film Awards, when tourette’s campaigner John Davidson involuntarily yelled a racial slur at the stars of Sinners.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 10 May 2026
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
Verb
In 2011, the actress had to be escorted offstage after slurring her words and rambling during a speech at an event honoring former Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Someone suffering hypothermia might appear uncoordinated or slur their speech.
—Karl Hille, Baltimore Sun, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slur
Noun
-
The blowout loss would’ve been enough agony, but there were injuries to match the insult.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
-
Adding insult to injury, Hasna accuses Meriem of using her body to get a cushier, better paying job as maid inside the boss’ luxurious home.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
The debate centers on PFAS, a massive family of chemicals used in everything from food packaging to stain-resistant fabrics and nonstick cookware.—
Ryan Brennan,
Sacbee.com,
20 May 2026
-
The iconic blue peel-off stain for all-day lip color feels like nothing on your lips and is transfer-proof, budge-proof and won't feather into lines.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
So, the league is washing its hands of what the Chargers or any other teams might do to troll the Patriots.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
But there’s something more than trolling at work, something elemental in the response to Scranton.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
But the pop culture of twelve years ago is baffling, uncanny, affronting.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Many Idaho liberals of all ages were especially affronted by the fact that the Israeli government paid for the lawmakers’ travel, said Olivia Luna, the president of Idaho’s Babe Vote, who signed the letter as an individual calling for Rubel’s resignation.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The brilliant dialogue—full of sarcasm, barbs, resentment, infuriation, competition but also underpinned by love—is so very perfectly sisterly!—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Between weird texts, awkward money conversations or a friend taking your sarcasm way too seriously, today could feel like one giant communication hiccup.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
The good news is that the gala survived its Bezos taint.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
-
There’s a purity here, the course free from the taint of bureaucracy governing so much of the academy.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the fall, the workers trade in their pruning shears for knives sharp enough to skin a deer in minutes.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
28 Nov. 2025
-
Today there’s a rich universe of supplemental Pynchon material ranging from prose only an English PhD could unpack, to sharp analysis that makes the experience of reading Pynchon communal and fun.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
For his followers, blaspheming the Holocaust and celebrating Hitler became a way to signal contempt for the political religion of postwar liberalism.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
China banned the ad for insulting national dignity and blaspheming traditional culture.—
Dr. Shan Nair,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slur. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
