expletive
an interjectory word or expression, frequently profane; an exclamatory oath.
a syllable, word, or phrase serving to fill out.
Grammar. a word considered as regularly filling the syntactic position of another, as it in It is his duty to go, or there in There is nothing here.
Also ex·ple·to·ry [ek-spli-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]. /ˈɛk splɪˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i/. added merely to fill out a sentence or line, give emphasis, etc.: Expletive remarks padded the speech.
Origin of expletive
1Other words from expletive
- ex·ple·tive·ly, adverb
Words Nearby expletive
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use expletive in a sentence
The walls were covered in spray-painted expletives that mentioned Myers by name, photos show.
Spray paint, soiled carpets, dead cats: Evicted tenant allegedly turned home into ‘slice of hell’ | Timothy Bella | June 16, 2021 | Washington PostCase in point—when Teresa Giudice, the only current housewife remaining from the first season, flipped a table in an expletive-laden rage, it became more than just juicy fodder for the show, but instead a watershed moment in reality TV history.
She explodes again and again, slapping herself, screaming obscenities, writing expletives, banging her face against a wall.
Barnett insisted he didn’t steal the mail, telling a reporter that he left a quarter and note with an expletive and his nickname “Bigo” on the desk.
Capitol riot suspect pictured at Pelosi’s desk screams ‘It’s not fair’ in courtroom tantrum | Meryl Kornfield | March 5, 2021 | Washington PostI remember listening to Walter Isaacson tell me that on the day that … the day before he died, his daughter came in, and he’d made some expletive about how she looked.
However, Martin redeemed himself when correctly guessing a fake expletive-laden clue read by Meyers.
Amy Poehler and George R.R. Martin Play Game of ‘Game of Thrones’ | Alex Chancey | October 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTKaufman returns after the break to deliver an expletive-ridden tirade against Lawler.
In Honor of David Letterman’s Pending Retirement, Watch His Wildest Interviews (VIDEO) | Kevin Fallon | April 3, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWatch him unleash a magnificent, expletive-ridden rant—and be grateful for the Internet, where this harangue will live forever.
So be careful what you say and what you do, because the Kinect, for better and worse, really is [expletive] watching you.
Now, it seems, Hamas is being struck from the list of expletive targets.
The expletive that it now behoves us to consider is one which has never been adequately treated in a book.
A Cursory History of Swearing | Julian SharmanProbably few persons who allow themselves the enjoyment of that rather jocular expletive, the deuce!
A Cursory History of Swearing | Julian SharmanThere is in Madrid a "Calle Jesus," and the sacred name, used as a common expletive, is heard on all sides.
Spanish Life in Town and Country | L. Higgin and Eugne E. StreetHe blurted out his favorite expletive, lighted a new cigar, walked his room, and chafed like a caged tiger.
Sevenoaks | J. G. HollandThe other use is a kind of pious expletive, intending “I must endure it,” “I am the slave of a higher power.”
Selections from Previous Works | Samuel Butler
British Dictionary definitions for expletive
/ (ɪkˈspliːtɪv) /
an exclamation or swearword; an oath or a sound expressing an emotional reaction rather than any particular meaning
any syllable, word, or phrase conveying no independent meaning, esp one inserted in a line of verse for the sake of the metre
expressing no particular meaning, esp when filling out a line of verse
Origin of expletive
1Derived forms of expletive
- expletively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for expletive
[ (ek-spluh-tiv) ]
Any exclamation or oath, especially one that is obscene or profane, as in “Dammit, I forgot to buy the milk.”
Notes for expletive
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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