Curse — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈkərs/

Meaning & Definition of Curse

Curse (noun)

  1. a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one, imprecation
  2. a profane or obscene oath or word
  3. something that is cursed or accursed

Curse (verb)

  1. to use profanely insolent language against, blaspheme
  2. to call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon
  3. to execrate in fervent and often profane terms

Curse (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. a prayer that harm will come to someone

    "uttered a curse upon his persecutor from the scaffold"

    similar: anathema, ban, execration, imprecation, malediction, malison, winze (Scottish)
    related: censure, condemnation, damnation, denunciation, excommunication, hex, hoodoo, jinx, mojo, spell, voodoo, whammy, pox
    opposite: benediction, benison, blessing
    near: citation, commendation, endorsement

  2. a disrespectful or indecent word or expression

    "started muttering curses after hitting his thumb with the hammer"

    similar: cuss, cussword, dirty word, expletive, four-letter word, obscenity, profanity, swear, swearword, vulgarism
    related: bawdry, language, scurrility, execration, imprecation, malediction, epithet, name, oath

  3. a source of harm or misfortune

    "intolerance of personal differences is a curse of humanity"

    similar: affliction, bane, nemesis, scourge
    related: hex, hoodoo, jinx, danger, hazard, menace, peril, risk, threat, trouble, booby trap, catch, pitfall, snag
    opposite: benefit, blessing, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall
    near: advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support, comfort, consolation, solace, delight, joy, pleasure, armor, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, safety, security, shield

Curse (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to ask a divine power to send harm or evil upon

    "I curse the guy who had the idea of having annoying salespeople call up innocent people to sell them things they don't want"

    similar: anathematize, beshrew (archaic), imprecate, maledict
    related: condemn, damn, denounce, execrate, reprobate, hex, jinx, voodoo, dang, darn, dash, cuss (out), fulminate (against), rail (against), revile
    opposite: bless
    near: applaud, commend, congratulate

  2. to cause persistent suffering to

    "misfortunes and problems seem to have cursed everyone ever associated with that house"

    similar: afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torment, torture
    related: assail, attack, badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride, aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize, hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring, martyr
    near: abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

  3. to use offensive or indecent language

    "you'll have to put a quarter in the jar every time you curse"

    similar: blaspheme, cuss, swear
    related: anathematize, confound, damn, execrate, imprecate, fulminate, rail, rant, revile

  4. to use profane or obscene language at or about

    "cursed him for showing up late, when he knew how important it was to be on time"

    similar: damn
    related: imprecate, maledict, criticize, reprove, admonish, chide, rebuke, reprimand, reproach, blame, censure, reprehend, reprobate
    near: bless, extol, glorify, laud, magnify, praise, acclaim, applaud, commend, compliment, hail, salute

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Curse

The most common words with a similar meaning to Curse:

Scottish: winze
Archaic: beshrew
anathema, ban, execration, imprecation, malediction, malison, cuss, cussword, dirty word, expletive, four-letter word, obscenity, profanity, swear, swearword, vulgarism, affliction, bane, nemesis, scourge, anathematize, imprecate, maledict, afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torment, torture, blaspheme, damn

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Curse

Words with the opposite meaning of Curse:

benediction, benison, blessing, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend, good, manna, windfall, bless

Related Words for Curse

censure, condemnation, damnation, denunciation, excommunication, hex, hoodoo, jinx, mojo, spell, voodoo, whammy, pox, bawdry, language, scurrility, epithet, name, oath, danger, hazard, menace, peril, risk, threat, trouble, booby trap, catch, pitfall, snag

Near Antonyms of Curse

citation, commendation, endorsement, advantage, aid, assistance, gift, help, relief, support, comfort, consolation, solace, delight, joy, pleasure, armor, defense, guard, protection, safeguard, safety, security, shield, applaud, commend, congratulate, abet, assist, deliver

Word Forms of Curse

Inflections: cursed, cursing

Origin & Etymology of Curse

Middle English curs, going back to Old English, of uncertain origin

First known use: before 12th century

Words & Phrases Containing Curse

curse word, curse out, the curse

Frequently Asked Questions about Curse

What does "Curse" mean?

"Curse" means a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one, imprecation. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one, imprecation. It has 7 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Curse"?

Other words for "Curse" include anathema, ban, execration, imprecation, malediction, malison, winze and cuss. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Curse" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Curse"?

There are 156 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Curse". Common alternatives include anathema, ban, execration, imprecation, malediction, malison, winze, cuss, cussword and dirty word.

What is the opposite of "Curse"?

Antonyms of "Curse" include benediction, benison, blessing, benefit, boon, felicity, godsend and good. Near antonyms include citation, commendation, endorsement and advantage.

How do you use "Curse" in a sentence?

Examples of "Curse" in a sentence: "uttered a curse upon his persecutor from the scaffold"; "started muttering curses after hitting his thumb with the hammer"; "intolerance of personal differences is a curse of humanity".

Is "Curse" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Curse" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Curse"?

"Curse" is pronounced /ˈkərs/.

What is the origin of the word "Curse"?

"Curse" comes from Middle English curs, going back to Old English, of uncertain origin. First known use: before 12th century.