slurred; slurring
: to slip so as to cause a slur
—used of a sheet being printed
slurred; slurring
1
a
: to slide or slip over without due mention, consideration, or emphasis
slurred over certain facts
b
: to perform hurriedly : skimp
let him not slur his lesson—
R. W. Emerson
R. W. Emerson2
: to perform (successive tones of different pitch) in a smooth or connected manner
3
a
: to reduce, make a substitution for, or omit (sounds that would normally occur in an utterance)
b
: to utter with such reduction, substitution, or omission of sounds
his speech was slurred
Synonyms
Examples of slur in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a rowdy group of patrons was kicked out of the theater for shouting slurs
your drunken behavior at the wedding has cast a slur on this family
Recent Examples on the WebAlexandra Duggan, Idaho Statesman, 7 May 2024
These officers used stun guns on the men repeatedly while yelling racial slurs.
—Jason Flom, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2024
In 2021, a car caravan descended on a West L.A. sushi restaurant, hurling slurs and physically attacking patrons.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 May 2024
Some shouted racist, homophobic and anti-Islamic slurs, according to campers interviewed.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
There were people who called her ugly slurs and said she should have been left to rot overseas.
—J Wortham January Lavoy Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 2 May 2024
Supervisors at the employers' facilities also allegedly retaliated against workers once the investigation began in January 2024, calling them derogatory slurs and changing terms of employment, investigators said.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 2 May 2024
The waiter, an openly gay man, had been working at Amerigo Italian Restaurant for roughly two months when another waiter started calling him homophobic slurs, federal officials said in a complaint filed in September 2023.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2024
Then the next month, he was infamously suspended from his record label and his music was temporarily removed from radio and streaming playlists after video surfaced of him drunkenly using a racist slur.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2024
His words were slurred, a mix of fear and steadfastness in his voice.
—Emily Ziff Griffin, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024
An officer observed that Castillo allegedly had watery and bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 16 Feb. 2024
These violent, slurring women are modern-day muses.
—EW.com, 21 Nov. 2023
The affidavit added that Young’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his speech was slurred.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2024
Upon arrival, police found an 18-year-old slurring her words, wearing her pants inside out.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2024
Ask them to say a simple phrase to gauge if their speech is slurred.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024
The teacher had repeatedly leveled racist and sexist slurs against the student.
—Journal Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024
Noun
The Post Falls student originally tried to retract his confession of the racial slurs and blame another passenger in the car, according to the prosecutor’s document.
—Alexandra Duggan, Idaho Statesman, 7 May 2024
These officers used stun guns on the men repeatedly while yelling racial slurs.
—Jason Flom, Rolling Stone, 6 May 2024
In 2021, a car caravan descended on a West L.A. sushi restaurant, hurling slurs and physically attacking patrons.
—Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 May 2024
Some shouted racist, homophobic and anti-Islamic slurs, according to campers interviewed.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2024
There were people who called her ugly slurs and said she should have been left to rot overseas.
—J Wortham January Lavoy Krish Seenivasan David Mason, New York Times, 2 May 2024
Supervisors at the employers' facilities also allegedly retaliated against workers once the investigation began in January 2024, calling them derogatory slurs and changing terms of employment, investigators said.
—Laura Romero, ABC News, 2 May 2024
The waiter, an openly gay man, had been working at Amerigo Italian Restaurant for roughly two months when another waiter started calling him homophobic slurs, federal officials said in a complaint filed in September 2023.
—Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 1 May 2024
Then the next month, he was infamously suspended from his record label and his music was temporarily removed from radio and streaming playlists after video surfaced of him drunkenly using a racist slur.
—Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2024
Verb
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Telles, slurring his words, was arrested for domestic battery and resisting arrest
ROBERT TELLES (police bodycam video): There's sufficient evidence to book me right now?
—Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 17 Feb. 2024
His words were slurred, a mix of fear and steadfastness in his voice.
—Emily Ziff Griffin, The New Yorker, 21 Feb. 2024
An officer observed that Castillo allegedly had watery and bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 16 Feb. 2024
These violent, slurring women are modern-day muses.
—EW.com, 21 Nov. 2023
The affidavit added that Young’s eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his speech was slurred.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 24 Jan. 2024
Upon arrival, police found an 18-year-old slurring her words, wearing her pants inside out.
—Clara-Sophia Daly, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2024
Ask them to say a simple phrase to gauge if their speech is slurred.
—Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2024
The teacher had repeatedly leveled racist and sexist slurs against the student.
—Journal Sentinel, 4 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near slur
Cite this Entry
“Slur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slur. Accessed 17 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slur
2 of 4 noun1
a
: a curved line connecting notes to be sung or played without a break
b
: the combination of two or more slurred tones
2
: a slurring manner of speech
slur
4 of 4 noun1
a
: damaging criticism
2
: a blurred spot in printed matter : smudge
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