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bad word

NOUN
dirty word
Synonyms
WEAK
curse cuss cuss word dirty name expletive foul invective four-letter word naughty word oath obscenity profane oath profanity swear word vulgarity
NOUN
four-letter word
Synonyms
STRONGEST
expletive obscenity profanity vulgarity
WEAK
curse cuss cuss word dirty word naughty word oath profane oath swear swearword
Antonyms
STRONGEST
decency
NOUN
swear word
Synonyms
WEAK
bad language curse cursing cuss word cussing dirty word expletive filthy language filthy word foul language four-letter word malediction naughty word oath obscenity profanity swear swearing swearword tinker's cuss vulgar language

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.

See Examples For:

"I don't know anyone who's got a bad word to say about her."

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

I really am confident that a lot more people understand what it is to think about our community as inclusive and not just a way where it’s a bad word.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2025

"Make sure the first three letters don't spell a bad word," warns journalist Ash Sarkar of the left-wing media site Novara Media.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2025

But he always had a bad word for the movies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2025

We systematically overassessed risk, made it a bad word.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

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