Synonyms for swearing
noun foul languageblasphemous
curse
- anathema
- ban
- bane
- blaspheming
- blasphemy
- commination
- cursing
- cuss word
- cussing
- damning
- denunciation
- dirty name
- dirty word
- double whammy
- execration
- expletive
- four-letter word
- fulmination
- imprecation
- malediction
- malison
- naughty words
- no-no
- oath
- objuration
- obloquy
- obscenity
- profanation
- profanity
- sacrilege
- swear word
- swearing
- vilification
- whammy
curses
- anathema
- ban
- bane
- blaspheming
- blasphemy
- commination
- cursing
- cuss word
- cussing
- damning
- denunciation
- dirty name
- dirty word
- double whammy
- execration
- expletive
- four-letter word
- fulmination
- imprecation
- malediction
- malison
- naughty words
- no-no
- oath
- objuration
- obloquy
- obscenity
- profanation
- profanity
- sacrilege
- swear word
- swearing
- vilification
- whammy
Word Origin & History
Old English swerian "take an oath" (class VI strong verb; past tense swor, past participle sworen), from Proto-Germanic *swarjan-, (cf. Old Saxon swerian, Old Norse sverja, Danish sverge, Old Frisian swera, Middle Dutch swaren, Old High German swerien, German schwören, Gothic swaren "to swear"), from PIE root *swer- (1) "to speak, talk, say" (cf. Old Church Slavonic svara "quarrel"). Also related to the second element in answer. The secondary sense of "use bad language" (early 15c.) developed from the notion of "invoke sacred names." Swear-word is American English colloquial from 1883. Swear off "desist as with a vow" is from 1898.
Example Sentences forswearing
What harm can that swearing coachman do, I should like to know, in the street yonder?
Hear them swearing at this moment, boys of five, paddling in the water there!
But he insisted on swearing, standing with one hand upraised, his eyes on her.
Besides, a man must have an audience when he is an expert in swearing.
Those that lost on Lucretia are swearing the mare was pulled.
You can never perjure yourself by swearing to a false opinion.
I was praying most fervently in my last sheet, and I must not so soon fall a swearing in this.
Won't there be some swearing in the Argus when that appears!
Young Badman 'was greatly given also to swearing and cursing.'
She could hear him trying to strike some matches, and swearing.