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Definitions

expletive

[ek-spli-tiv] / ˈɛk splɪ tɪv /
NOUN
swear word; exclamation
Synonyms


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.

His predecessor Joe Biden also caused controversy for aiming an expletive at a worker during his own visit to a factory in Detroit while on the campaign trail in 2020.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

Chabria: As someone known to routinely curse in polite society, I’m not one to judge an expletive.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2025

"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

As it happened, Butler never had time to finish his expletive, because he wisely chose that moment to relinquish his grip.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer




Vocabulary lists containing expletive