Merriam-Webster Logo
Chatbot
  • Chatbot
  • Games
  • Word of the Day
  • Grammar
  • Word Finder
  • Slang
  • New Newsletters
  • Wordplay
  • Rhymes
  • Thesaurus
  • Join MWU
    • Games
    • Word of the Day
    • Grammar
    • Wordplay
    • Slang
    • Rhymes
    • Word Finder
    • Newsletters New
    • Thesaurus
    • Join MWU link icon
    • Shop
    • Books link icon
    • Merch link icon
      • Log In
      • Username
      • My Words
      • Recents
      • Account
      • Log Out
Est. 1828
Wordplay

Insults

7 Shakespearean Insults to Make Life More Interesting

One for each day of the week

8 Significant Words for 'Insignificant'

A list that is anything but trivial

19 Words for the Cranky and Disagreeable

We're not mad. You're mad.

Some Notes On 'Asshat'

A serious look at where it came from

Words for Laziness, and for Lazy People

Indolence, Malingerer, Draffsack: the right word for when you just don't have the energy

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 2

Sometimes a 'cacafuego' can be a real 'slubberdegullion'

Not Nice and Too Nice: A Collection of Dysphemisms and Euphemisms

Words to soothe and annoy

Suck-ups, Lickspittles, and Toadeaters: Words for Flatterers and Sycophants

The exact words you need to describe that person at work

Rare and Amusing Insults: Cockalorum, Snollygoster, and More

How dare you called me a ninnyhammer you pillock!

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'

The words have a less-than-savory past

A Handy Guide to Ruffians, Rapscallions, Cads & More

22 charming words for nasty people

14 Airy, Puffy Words for Windy Speech

Swell words for words lacking substance.

Ye Olde Nincompoop

Old-fashioned ways to say "stupid"

Top 10 Sophisticated Insults

A list we hope you don't find 'insipid'

'Snotter', 'Groak', and 6 More Words Associated with Bad Habits

Could you please not do that?

Plant Names That Sound Like Insults

Hey, we're all adults here.

10 Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Polly wanna ask what you meant by that, exactly?

The Origin of 'Hypocrite'

This one's surprisingly dramatic

10 Polite Words for Impolite People

'Flibbertigibbet,' 'cupboard-lover,' and more

You Talk Too Much: 8 Words for the Wordy

You can't shut them up, but you can label them

11 Words for Miserly People

We won't be stingy with them

Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 3

Useful words for everyday interactions

12 More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Words beloved even by cranky fans and pettichaps
1 of 2
  • 1
  • 2
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries.  Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the Day

abdicate

Listen to the pronunciation of abdicate

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Merriam Webster

Learn a new word every day. Delivered to your inbox!

  • Help
  • About Us
  • Advertising Info
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram

© 2026 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated