dirty word
noun
: a word, expression, or idea that is disagreeable or unpopular in a particular frame of reference
Synonyms
Examples of dirty word in a Sentence
The movie is just a lot of sex, violence, and dirty words.
They regard “taxes” as a dirty word.
The way he acts, you'd think compassion was a dirty word.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nuance is a dirty word inside the Valley of the Stupid.
—
Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2024
Still, governance in the Boehner era was not a dirty word, and the vast majority of new Republican members were receptive to it.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Patriotism, a dirty word among Russian liberals only a few years before, was making a comeback, accompanied by various hues of Russian nationalism.
—Dmitri Trenin, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2016
Employment arbitration has become a dirty word on Capitol Hill.
—Lewis L. Maltby, Fortune, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirty word 
Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2024
Still, governance in the Boehner era was not a dirty word, and the vast majority of new Republican members were receptive to it.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Patriotism, a dirty word among Russian liberals only a few years before, was making a comeback, accompanied by various hues of Russian nationalism.
—Dmitri Trenin, Foreign Affairs, 25 Dec. 2016
Employment arbitration has become a dirty word on Capitol Hill.
—Lewis L. Maltby, Fortune, 9 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for dirty word
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dirty word.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Dirty word.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dirty%20word. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
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