1
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
King Richard I of England was given the very laudatory epithet "the Lion-Hearted"
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the school has a strict ban against the use of offensive epithets
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of epithet
Across the country, people have endured antisemitic epithets as well as anti-Muslim rhetoric, in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war abroad.
—
Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Last week in Columbus, Ohio, a dozen or so people marched through the city waving Nazi flags and yelling racial epithets.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Today, the term is more often used as a negative epithet—but on her wise and poignant R&B album Heaux Tales, Jazmine Sullivan celebrates gossip’s emotional significance, showing the revelations and self-explorations that arise when women nurture community.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Risqué language and colorful ethnics epithets flowed as liberally as the liquor, drawing the ire of a nearby diner who, while not nearly as famous, was at least as wealthy and possibly more influential.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for epithet 
Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Last week in Columbus, Ohio, a dozen or so people marched through the city waving Nazi flags and yelling racial epithets.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
Today, the term is more often used as a negative epithet—but on her wise and poignant R&B album Heaux Tales, Jazmine Sullivan celebrates gossip’s emotional significance, showing the revelations and self-explorations that arise when women nurture community.
—Pitchfork, 1 Oct. 2024
Risqué language and colorful ethnics epithets flowed as liberally as the liquor, drawing the ire of a nearby diner who, while not nearly as famous, was at least as wealthy and possibly more influential.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for epithet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epithet
Noun
-
My new nickname may as well be Passenger because Jennifer Lawrence’s pregnancy style is taking me on a journey.Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Just Askin': Many Kentuckians know who the Cards and Cats are, but the origins of these rival universities' nicknames may not be common knowledge.Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The exchange instantly got memed, adding further insult to this legal and emotional injury.Anne Victoria Clark, Vulture, 24 Dec. 2024
-
The evening spirals out of control as Heavenly and Contessa take their feud to a new low, hurling deeply personal insults about each other’s husbands.Shelby Stewart, Essence, 23 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
And while some billionaires built their success from the ground up, there are certain surnames whose appearances on lists of the world’s wealthiest individuals span generations.Madeline Fitzgerald, Quartz, 18 Dec. 2024
-
In a now-viral video, viewed over 1.6 million times, Jayla, who didn't give her surname, flashes a playful grin and adjusts her colorful sweater.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Starting in 1984, Chris and Rich played with a revolving cast of band members under the band’s new moniker, Mr. Crowe’s Garden, named after the children’s book, Johnny Crow’s Garden.Charles Moss, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024
-
Frampton released his most recent album, Ugly, under his Slowthai moniker in 2023.Thomas Smith, Billboard, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
His general vibe on this show is exhausted and sarcastic, and that approach won me over, even as the content of his exhaustion and sarcasm is pretty gross.Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 11 Dec. 2024
-
The blue zones are also under assault from Saul Newman, an Australian researcher at University College London with a taste for sarcasm.science.org, science.org, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near epithet
Cite this Entry
“Epithet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epithet. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share