swearing 1 of 2

present participle of swear
1
as in cursing
to use offensive or indecent language no one is allowed to swear in this house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in testifying
to make a solemn declaration under oath for the purpose of establishing a fact the sworn statement of the witness was presented as evidence

Synonyms & Similar Words

swearing

2 of 2

noun

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 swearing
Verb
The two maintained a close bond, with Kirk attending high-level events and swearing-in ceremonies. Amanda Castro joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 The bill requires current lawmakers to divest within 180 days, and gives new members 90 days from their swearing-in. Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 The Hobart Fire Department officially welcomed four new firefighter/EMTs during a swearing-in ceremony recently at Fire Station 1, a release said. Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 Aug. 2025 Presidents have turned to the garden for peace treaty signings between other nations, presidential press conferences, meetings with foreign heads of state, landmark bill signings and swearing-in ceremonies of Supreme Court justices. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2025
Noun
Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher went on one of his bad-boy tirades during a performance at the 1996 show by swearing, wandering the stage and making lewd gestures during his brother Noel's guitar solo. Kate Hogan, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 Davidson struggled but in adulthood found an advocate in his friend’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake) and under the mentorship of Tommy (Peter Mullan), who saw through the uncontrollable ticks and swearing and gave him a job. Carole Horst, Variety, 7 Sep. 2025 Many societies in the past have linked swearing to blasphemy or sin. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Cintron is accused of pushing her to the kitchen floor, grabbing a knife from the counter and stabbing her repeatedly while swearing at her, Velez Bonilla’s boyfriend recounted to deputies. Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2025 Get ready and go to work by taking my bike with me on the train, purposelessly swearing against the strong wind while cycling. R29 Team, Refinery29, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swearing
Verb
  • Her wails make Davina recall her own confinement, where she was treated similarly awfully and responded by cursing the women in the room.
    Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 5 Sep. 2025
  • Alisah, who was present in the passenger’s seat of the car, also got caught up in the mix, cursing at Renner’s mom.
    Essence, Essence, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Africa imports the vast majority of its refined fuels despite being a major oil producer, with leaders across the continent vowing in recent months to bolster their energy independence, including via renewable energy investments.
    semafor.com, semafor.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Memorials have been held in Washington, Arizona, and Utah, with Kirk's widow vowing to continue his work.
    Amanda Castro Hannah Parry Joshua Rhett Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Running concurrently with the events of Ultimatum, Tony Gilroy’s The Bourne Legacy finds Landy and Vosen testifying in front of Congress about Blackbriar.
    Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Prosecutors alleged that Henry, Melly and fellow inmate Terrence Mathis collaborated to keep Mariah Hamilton, Melly’s ex-girlfriend, away from testifying.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • If one employee spots profanity or offensive language in an application, then it is sent to another employee, and possibly moved up the chain.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Ellis then claimed that Cardi cut her face with a fingernail and spat on her while yelling profanity and racial slurs at Ellis.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Wrapped in millennial pink while sporting desk plaques reading #girlboss and #bossbabe, she was sold through autobiographies, TED Talks, and Instagram feeds promising that hustle could turn anyone into a CEO.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Conrad immediately rejected that idea, promising that his love for her had nothing to do with his mom.
    Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Many societies in the past have linked swearing to blasphemy or sin.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • The organization has also taken on international cases involving silent prayer arrests in the U.K. and blasphemy charges in Nigeria.
    Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Verb
  • Prior to the event, Billie Eilish and brother Finneas appeared alongside actors Cillian Murphy, Javier Bardem, Brian Cox, Joaquin Phoenix and more in a short video pledging support for Palestine people.
    Thomas Smith, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025
  • This past weekend, Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, became the first foreign leader to visit China’s largest military aviation manufacturer, pledging to deepen defense-industry ties between the two countries—and offering a reminder of whom Pakistan is truly aligned with.
    Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Jokes can offend, annoy, insult or fall flat.
    Diane Brady, Fortune, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The New York Times reported this phrase is a common insult across the internet.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Swearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swearing. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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