expletive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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Former PM Boris Johnson famously used an expletive when asked about business concerns during the Brexit negotiations.
From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2024
"Hey Congresspeople! Beware! Hell hath no fury like a . . . scorned," he adds, making a cutesy little face where one guesses an expletive would have otherwise been verbalized.
From Salon ● Dec. 15, 2023
“Who the heck is going to want to look at an eight-foot picture of a hideous car crash, Andy?” a friend once asked Warhol, using a stronger expletive.
From New York Times ● Jun. 1, 2023
When the Dallas Cowboys coach finally had to talk about his old coaching home, he interrupted with an expletive as a reporter prone to queries on X’s and O’s went with a touchy-feely one.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
If you hear the word, “Impossible!” spoken as an expletive, followed by laughter, you will know that someone’s orderly research plan is coming along nicely.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
Sociologist Shiv Vishwanathan says "the use of expletives is the symptom of a deeper breakdown of democracy, it shows there's end of discussion and a lack of respect".
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
“A lunatic was wildly screaming expletives in a complete fit of rage, and the president gave an appropriate and unambiguous response,” said Steven Cheung, White House communications director.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
Paraphrasing and removing the expletives, the general reaction from Rangers people was: 'Save the showboating for down south, son'.
From BBC ● Dec. 12, 2024
Keywords trigger the A.I., but so do certain combinations that seem threatening—colors associated with criminal organizations, mention of illegal activities, violent verbs, expletives, and some political content, for instance.
From Slate ● Jun. 19, 2023
The class listened to one opera each month—at least made some effort to listen over the thunder of groans and barely suppressed expletives from the athletes who populated the last row of seats.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Vocabulary lists containing expletive
Between Shades of Gray
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We Dream of Space
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Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet
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