cuss

20 synonyms for cuss, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — Informal: to swear or use bad language.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

fellow swear

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

curse oath lad chap pest swearing bloke fella

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

gent feller blighter blaspheme gadfly pesterer expletive swearword imprecate curse word

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

Informal: to swear or use bad language.

“He cussed loudly after hitting his thumb with the hammer.”

fellow swear curse oath lad chap pest swearing bloke fella gent feller blighter blaspheme gadfly pesterer expletive swearword imprecate curse word

2. noun

Informal: a swear word, or (old-fashioned) a fellow or character.

“He's a tough old cuss but means well.”

bloke gadfly curse blighter oath fellow chap gent fella feller lad expletive

Etymology

An American English variant pronunciation of curse.

Full origin of cuss →

Frequently asked questions

What does “cuss” mean?

The word “cuss” means informal: to swear or use bad language. In plain terms, a casual way of saying "curse" or "swear," also used to mean a person ("an odd cuss").

How do you pronounce “cuss”?

“Cuss” is pronounced kuhs (/kʌs/ in IPA).

How do you use “cuss” in a sentence?

Here is “cuss” used in a sentence: “He cussed loudly after hitting his thumb with the hammer.”

What part of speech is “cuss”?

Depending on how it is used, “cuss” can be a verb and a noun.

How many meanings does “cuss” have?

“Cuss” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal: to swear or use bad language.

People also searched

fellow swear curse oath lad chap pest swearing bloke Fella expletive gent

Nearby words

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