as in curse
a disrespectful or indecent word or expression
I'm afraid I won't be much help on the trip—the only Spanish I know is a handful of dirty words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dirty word
Only after the Cold War ended did a neoconservative foreign policy consensus come to dominate the American right—and diplomacy became a dirty word for Republicans.
—
Dan Caldwell, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2024
Ultimately, Newcastle have decided the time is right to move on from the power couple who made all of this possible, who always believed and never gave up, who persuaded fans that ambition and yearning were not dirty words.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Now, changing customer attitudes, regulatory action, and improvements by larger financial players have made tipping and junk fees dirty words.
—Jennifer Tescher, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Now, free trade is a dirty word for Democrats and Republicans alike.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 2 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Dan Caldwell, Foreign Affairs, 13 Nov. 2024
Ultimately, Newcastle have decided the time is right to move on from the power couple who made all of this possible, who always believed and never gave up, who persuaded fans that ambition and yearning were not dirty words.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 10 July 2024
Now, changing customer attitudes, regulatory action, and improvements by larger financial players have made tipping and junk fees dirty words.
—Jennifer Tescher, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Now, free trade is a dirty word for Democrats and Republicans alike.
—Charles Kupchan, Foreign Affairs, 2 Mar. 2021
See All Example Sentences for dirty word
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dirty word
Noun
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Then, Democrats have to be thinking about what happens if Republicans only have a mild case of the midterm curse.—
Chris Stirewalt,
The Hill,
14 Mar. 2025
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Flubber can do anything, which is both a blessing and a curse for Professor Brainard.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Could a nice good swear on the pitch to express one’s anger stop a player from lashing out physically, channelling their anger through their vocal cords rather than their fists?—
Nick Miller,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
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The station asked the band not to include the swears.—
Kris Holt,
Forbes,
2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Martin’s shows look and sound for the most part like any other cable news roundtable shows – except for the salty language.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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That includes making space for experimentation, encouraging feedback, and avoiding language that suggests the machine is always right.—
Dr. Diane Hamilton,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dirty%20word. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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