1
: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one : imprecation
People believe that there is a curse on the house.
2
: a profane or obscene oath or word
In an antechamber, his lieutenants suddenly heard the shattering of glass and angry curses.—
Sam Moses
3
: something that is cursed or accursed
"I … will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth."—Jeremiah 26:6 (King James Version)
4
: evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation or as retribution
… intolerance is the greatest curse of every land …—Kenneth Roberts
5
: a cause of great harm or misfortune : torment
His fame turned out to be a curse, not a blessing.
6
: menstruation
—used with the
cursed; cursing
1
: to use profanely insolent language against : blaspheme
cursing his god
2
a
: to call upon divine or supernatural power to send injury upon
He was cursed and fears he will die.
b
: to execrate in fervent and often profane terms
cursed by future generations unless we act now
3
: to bring great evil upon : afflict
a land cursed with famine
: to utter imprecations : swear
cursing loudly
Synonyms
Examples of curse in a Sentence
Noun
I heard him utter a curse before the microphone was shut off.
The witch pronounced a curse in some strange language.
People believe that someone put a curse on the house.
His fame turned out to be a curse, not a blessing.
Verb
He cursed himself for being so careless.
She cursed her bad luck.
In the book the evil witch curses the villagers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2024
Several generations of the Buendía lineage will mark the future of this mythical town, tormented by madness, impossible loves, a bloody and absurd war, and the fear of a terrible curse that condemns them, without hope, to one hundred years of solitude.
—Dana Feldman, Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Russell Contreras, Axios, 31 Oct. 2024
If the Yankees go on to lose this series, Boone’s characteristic over-thinking will leave a bitter taste in an awful lot of loudly cursing mouths, although the manager wasn’t alone in his haplessness.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for curse 
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Noun
The Hollywood Reporter caught up with the affable Williams and Knight — whose The Real Brady Bros podcast relives every episode — to talk Brady Bunch auditions, Ann B. Davis’ comic timing and those pesky Hawaiian curses.
—Verb
During the second 2016 Albuquerque rally, demonstrators set up a mock altar to the Mexican folk saint La Santa Muerte — Saint Death — to curse Trump's campaign.
—Articles Related to curse
Dictionary Entries Near curse
Cite this Entry
“Curse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curse. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Kids Definition
curse
1 of 2 noun1
: a calling for harm or injury to come to someone
2
: a word or an expression used in cursing or swearing
3
: evil or misfortune that comes as if in answer to a curse
4
: a cause of great harm or evil
curse
2 of 2 verb
cursed; cursing
1
: to call upon divine power to send harm or evil upon
2
3
: to bring unhappiness or evil upon : afflict
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