curse
curse — noun
1. a set of spoken words believed to cause harm or misfortune to another person.
a set of spoken words believed to cause harm or misfortune to another person.
The old folk tale tells of a curse that turned a prince into a frog.
Some villagers believed a curse had caused their crops to fail that season.
put a curse on something
In the story, the witch placed a curse on anyone who entered her forest.
place a curse on [someone]
The museum displayed a cursed amulet that was said to bring bad luck.
- cast a curse
- put a curse on
- lift a curse
- break a curse
- under a curse
- a curse on someone
- blessing
a prayer for good fortune, the opposite of a curse
Common Mistakes
2. something that brings long-term difficulty, suffering, or misfortune into a pers
something that brings long-term difficulty, suffering, or misfortune into a person's life, often over many years or across generations.
Poverty has been a curse for many families in the region for generations.
Darius called his gambling habit a curse that had cost him everything he loved.
call something a curse
The new factory became a curse when it began poisoning the local water supply.
For Nala, her crippling shyness felt like a curse that stopped her from making friends.
feel like a curse
- a curse of
- the curse of
- live under a curse
- be a curse on
- affliction
more formal and suggests physical or mental suffering; less common in everyday speech
- scourge
stronger and more dramatic — suggests widespread destruction, not individual trouble
- blight
often used for problems affecting a community or area, such as disease or poverty
Usage Note
Often used metaphorically — the subject does not literally involve magic, but the suffering feels as severe as if it did. Frequently found in the pattern 'a curse of [problem]' (e.g. 'the curse of addiction').
3. an old-fashioned informal term for the monthly flow of blood from the uterus tha
an old-fashioned informal term for the monthly flow of blood from the uterus that people with a womb experience.
In older generations, some women referred to their monthly period as 'the curse'.
referred to as 'the curse'
Historical letters show women writing about 'the curse' as a regular part of life.
Takeshi's great-aunt still used the old term 'curse' to talk about menstruation.
The novel describes a time when menstruation was privately called 'the curse'.
privately called 'the curse'
- have the curse
- call it the curse
- the curse (as a fixed term)
- period
the standard, neutral modern term
- menstruation
the formal medical term
Usage Note
This sense is dated and may be considered offensive or inappropriate in modern conversation. Younger speakers rarely use 'curse' for menstruation — the standard term today is 'period'.
Common Mistakes
4. a socially unacceptable word that someone says in moments of anger, surprise, or
a socially unacceptable word that someone says in moments of anger, surprise, or sudden pain.
Andrés let out a curse when he hit his thumb with the hammer.
let out a curse
The movie was full of curses that parents found unsuitable for young children.
Apinya muttered a curse under her breath after dropping her phone.
mutter a curse under one's breath
A stream of curses came from the kitchen when Jude burned his hand.
- let out a curse
- mutter a curse
- a stream of curses
- a string of curses
- swear word
more informal and direct; 'curse' sounds slightly more old-fashioned
- oath
formal or literary; often used in historical contexts ('He let out a mighty oath.')
- profanity
formal and covers all offensive religious or vulgar language
Usage Note
This sense overlaps with verb sense 1 (to swear). When used as a noun, a 'curse' is a single offensive word or short phrase; when cursed, a person produces a stream of them.
Common Mistakes
curse — verb
1. to say offensive words because you feel angry, frustrated, or are in sudden pain
to say offensive words because you feel angry, frustrated, or are in sudden pain; to swear.
After stubbing his toe on the doorframe, Élise's father cursed loudly.
curse loudly
The taxi driver cursed at the cyclist who had cut in front of him.
curse at [someone]
Anna cursed under her breath when she realized she had left her keys inside the car.
curse under one's breath
Sari's grandmother never cursed, no matter how upset or frustrated she felt.
- curse loudly
- curse under one's breath
- curse at someone
- curse like a sailor
Grammar Patterns
curse (at someone/something)
Usage Note
In this intransitive sense, 'curse' can be directed at no one in particular (just frustration) or at someone/something using 'curse at'. For directed anger using offensive language, see also 'curse somebody out' (phrasal verb).
Common Mistakes
2. to express extreme anger toward someone, including yourself, by saying harsh or
to express extreme anger toward someone, including yourself, by saying harsh or insulting things about them, often because of a mistake or failure.
Zayd cursed himself for leaving his passport at home on the morning of the trip.
curse oneself for [something]
Passengers cursed the airline for canceling their flight without any warning.
Padma cursed the slow internet connection as she tried to submit her assignment before the deadline.
The hikers cursed themselves for not bringing enough water on such a hot day.
curse oneself
- curse oneself
- curse someone for something
- curse the day
- curse one's luck
- praise
to express warm approval of someone's actions
Grammar Patterns
curse + someone
curse + oneself
curse + someone + for + something
Usage Note
Distinguish from verb sense 1: sense 1 is about uttering swear words (intransitive), while sense 2 is about directing anger at a specific person, thing, or yourself (transitive). The object is the target of blame, not necessarily receiving swear words.
Common Mistakes
3. to feel angry and express regret about a situation that has gone badly, often bl
to feel angry and express regret about a situation that has gone badly, often blaming bad luck or fate rather than a specific person.
Tamar cursed her luck when it started raining just after she hung the laundry outside.
curse one's luck
The fishermen cursed their timing after arriving at the dock and finding the boat already full.
Andrés cursed the day he agreed to help his cousin move apartments without a truck.
curse the day
Nala cursed her bad judgment for investing in a company that went bankrupt within a month.
- curse one's luck
- curse the day
- curse one's stars
- curse one's fate
- curse one's bad timing
Grammar Patterns
curse + something
curse + the day / one's luck / one's stars
Usage Note
This sense appears in a fixed set of objects: 'luck', 'fate', 'stars', 'the day', and occasionally 'the moment'. It expresses retrospective regret — the speaker wishes events had turned out differently but cannot change them.
4. to use special words or rituals that are believed to make bad things happen to a
to use special words or rituals that are believed to make bad things happen to a particular person or group.
In the legend, the sorcerer cursed the entire village for not offering him shelter.
curse [a group] for [reason]
The old witch cursed the princess to sleep for a hundred years.
curse [someone] to [verb phrase]
Ancient inscriptions warned that the tomb was cursed and would destroy anyone who opened it.
According to local stories, a ghost cursed anyone who dared to enter the abandoned temple at night.
- curse someone with
- curse someone to
- be cursed
- remain cursed
- cursed by
- hex
more specific to folk magic, especially in European and American traditions
- place a curse on
a phrasal alternative that is less direct
- doom
stronger and permanent — to doom someone is to fix their terrible fate
- bless
to ask for divine favour and protection
Grammar Patterns
curse + someone
curse + someone + with + something
be cursed
Usage Note
Often used in the passive form ('be cursed') to describe people or places that are believed to be under a spell. The passive can also be used metaphorically to mean 'afflicted with a persistent problem' (e.g. 'Our team has been cursed with bad luck all season.').
Common Mistakes
curse somebody out
phrasal verbto angrily tell someone a series of offensive things because you are extremely unhappy with them, often at length and without holding back.
The customer cursed the manager out after being told the item was out of stock.
Jude's neighbor cursed him out for parking in front of the driveway.
Word family
- cursedadjectiveB1
- cursingnounB2
- curse wordnounB1
- accursedadjectiveC2
- cursedlyadverbC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
'Swear' is the most common everyday word for using offensive language ('He swore when he dropped the box on his foot.'). 'Curse' is slightly more literary or old-fashioned — it suggests stronger emotion or a more dramatic reaction. In American English, 'cuss' is an informal alternative ('Don't cuss at your mother.'), while in British English it sounds regional or dated. 'Blaspheme' is narrower and more formal: it specifically means using religious names or concepts disrespectfully ('He was accused of blaspheming against God during the sermon.'). In everyday situations, 'swear' is the safest choice. Use 'curse' when you want to emphasise the emotional intensity, and 'cuss' only in informal American contexts.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'curse' comes from Old English 'curs' (noun) and 'cursian' (verb), which appeared around the 11th century. The exact origin is uncertain — no clear ancestor exists in other Germanic languages. Some scholars suggest a link to Old French 'curuz' (anger), while others point to Latin 'cursus' (a running, a course) in the sense of a fixed fate. What is clear is that the word has always carried both the magical meaning (a spoken spell) and the emotional meaning (an outburst of anger) since its earliest recorded use.