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"
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of epithet
By the turn of the 19th century, however, the epithet had taken on a different meaning.
—
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
This segregation, alongside the racial epithets and physical confrontations showered upon those with brown skin, led the workers to sue.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
The next day, one of his supporters called U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chambers and called her a racial epithet.
—Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
In Greek mythology, Chloe was an epithet of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epithet
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
This segregation, alongside the racial epithets and physical confrontations showered upon those with brown skin, led the workers to sue.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
The next day, one of his supporters called U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chambers and called her a racial epithet.
—Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
In Greek mythology, Chloe was an epithet of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epithet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epithet
Noun
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For some, the preferred nickname might be City of the Big Shoulders and Hog Butcher for the World, courtesy of poet Carl Sandburg.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2025
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The giant rock formation that stretches out into the water resembles a dinosaur, which has earned it the nickname T. Rex Bay.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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During a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023, Messi and Rodrygo exchanged insults.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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The jury found that on Aug. 19, after Stanford revoked her access, Mangi logged into the study database and replaced patient medical data with erroneous information and insults about her former supervisor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Jason Green,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There is a momentary collective crisis of conscience when Frieda points out that nobody knew her surname, but those spillages aren’t going to disappear on their own.—
Stephanie Bunbury,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2025
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According to the New York Times, the list contained the first names and the initials of the surnames of the CIA's new hires who are still on probation and thus easy to dismiss.—
Kristan Hawkins,
Newsweek,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The jets currently flying under the Air Force One moniker have been in service since the George H.W. Bush administration.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN,
21 Feb. 2025
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The album is the Swede’s first solo effort under the Yung Lean moniker since 2022’s Stardust.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
20 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Existing on cable news, hosting a celebrity-free show devoted to hot-button issues and cracking jokes with a withering sarcasm where his competitors are sunny or loopy, Gutfeld is an unlikely king of late night.—
Tatiana Siegel,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2025
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And that’s another important distinction from House where the empathy on House was much more buried under layers and layers of sarcasm.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Epithet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epithet. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
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