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
Sam Moses3
: 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)
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
Kenneth Roberts5
: 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
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
Travis Bean, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Episode 5 - Le Curse of Leclerc: Charles Leclerc breaks the Monaco curse in this episode by winning the Grand Prix and explaining the emotional importance of the feat.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Abraham gave us a Salieri both blessed and cursed to appreciate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s genius far more acutely than any living soul.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curse
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Noun
As the phenomena intensify, Skye realizes she may have been marked by the same curse that claimed so many lives before her.
—Travis Bean, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
Episode 5 - Le Curse of Leclerc: Charles Leclerc breaks the Monaco curse in this episode by winning the Grand Prix and explaining the emotional importance of the feat.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
The man known only as ‘B’ is half-mortal and half-god, cursed and compelled to violence, even at the sacrifice of his sanity.
—Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2025
Abraham gave us a Salieri both blessed and cursed to appreciate Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s genius far more acutely than any living soul.
—Will Leitch, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for curse
Articles Related to curse
Cite this Entry
“Curse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curse. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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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