curse

American  

[kurs] / kɜrs /

noun

curses plural

1. the expression of a wish that misfortune, evil, doom, etc., befall a person, group, etc.

   Synonyms:

   malediction, fulmination, execration, imprecation

   Antonyms:

   benediction, blessing

2. a formula or charm intended to cause such misfortune to another.

3. the act of reciting such a formula.

4. a profane oath; curse word.

5. an evil that has been invoked upon one.

   Synonyms:

   torment, affliction, plague, scourge, bane, trouble, calamity, misfortune

6. the cause of evil, misfortune, or trouble.

   Synonyms:

   torment, affliction, plague, scourge, bane

7. something accursed.

8. Informal. Usually the curse the menstrual period; menstruation.

9. an ecclesiastical censure or anathema.

   Synonyms:

   imprecation, malediction, fulmination, execration

   Antonyms:

   benediction, blessing

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verb (used with object)

curses, present (3rd person singular) cursed, past participle, past curst, past participle, past cursing present participle

1. to wish or invoke evil, calamity, injury, or destruction upon.

   Antonyms:

   bless

2. to swear at.

3. to blaspheme.

4. to afflict with great evil.

   Synonyms:

   doom, afflict, scourge, plague

5. to excommunicate.

verb (used without object)

curses, present (3rd person singular) cursed, past participle, past curst, past participle, past cursing present participle

1. to utter curses; swear profanely.

curse British  

/ kɜːs /

noun

1. a profane or obscene expression of anger, disgust, surprise, etc; oath

2. an appeal to a supernatural power for harm to come to a specific person, group, etc

3. harm resulting from an appeal to a supernatural power

   to be under a curse

4. something that brings or causes great trouble or harm

5. a saying, charm, effigy, etc, used to invoke a curse

6. an ecclesiastical censure of excommunication

7. informal menstruation or a menstrual period

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verb

1. (intr) to utter obscenities or oaths

2. (tr) to abuse (someone) with obscenities or oaths

3. (tr) to invoke supernatural powers to bring harm to (someone or something)

4. (tr) to bring harm upon

5. (tr) another word for excommunicate

Synonym Usage

Curse, blaspheme, swear are often interchangeable in the sense of using profane language. However, curse is the general word for the heartfelt invoking or angry calling down of evil on another: to curse an enemy. To blaspheme is to speak contemptuously or with abuse of God or of sacred things: to blaspheme openly. To swear is to use the name of God or of some holy person or thing as an exclamation to add force or show anger: to swear in every sentence.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• curser
  noun
• outcurse
  verb (used with object)
• uncursing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• curses
  plural

Participles

• cursing
  present
• cursed
  past
• curst
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• curse
  simple
• curses
  simple
• have cursed
  perfect
• have curst
  perfect
• has cursed
  perfect
• has curst
  perfect
• am cursing
  progressive
• are cursing
  progressive
• is cursing
  progressive
• have been cursing
  perfect progressive
• has been cursing
  perfect progressive

Past

• cursed
  simple
• curst
  simple
• had cursed
  perfect
• had curst
  perfect
• was cursing
  progressive
• were cursing
  progressive
• had been cursing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will curse
  simple
• will have cursed
  perfect
• will have curst
  perfect
• will be cursing
  progressive
• will have been cursing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of curse

First recorded in before 1050; Middle English curs (noun), cursen (verb), Old English curs (noun), cursian (verb), of disputed origin

Explanation

When you curse, you say words you wouldn't want your mother or your priest to hear you saying. A curse can also be wishing something awful on someone, like the witch who puts a curse on Sleeping Beauty. When you hear "maledizione!" in an Italian opera, somebody's having a curse placed on them. The Italian word tells you just what a curse is — it's a "bad saying" — a really bad saying. Like "May you and all your family have nothing but Brussels sprouts to eat forever and ever!" That would be a curse. As a verb, the act of cursing will lead to getting your mouth washed out with soap.

Example Sentences

Everything the man is touching nowadays turns into gold for him and rot for the rest of us, a curse any smart person would avoid.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2026

The Owens family curse strikes again — and this time it’s here for the next generation.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026

For parents like me, the research isn’t a curse but preparation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 22, 2026

As long as the majority stays comfortable with the suffering of the many, our shared curse will remain unbroken.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2026

“The wolves were a reminder that the strange curse upon the Ashtons was a mystery bigger than mere reason could overrule.”

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• bane
• burden
• calamity
• disaster
• evil
• jinx
• scourge