Category
Expletive
Pure emotional discharge. The expletive exists to carry force, not meaning — and the best fictional ones land immediately, before a reader even knows what they signify.
85 entries in the archive
Frak
≈ “Fuck”
/FRAK/noun/verb/adjective/interjection
The most iconic fictional swear word in sci-fi. A universal substitute for the F-word, used in every possible conjugation and context.
Felgercarb
≈ “Bullshit / Crap”
/FEL-ger-karb/noun
An expletive referring to putrid, crusty grime that accumulates on machinery. Used as an equivalent to bullshit or crap.
Fork
≈ “Fuck”
/FORK/noun/verb/adjective/interjection
In the Good Place, a cosmic censorship filter automatically replaces all profanity. Eleanor's attempts to curse come out as 'fork,' 'shirt,' 'bench,' and 'ash-hole.'
Shirt
≈ “Shit”
/SHURT/noun/interjection
The Good Place's automatic profanity filter replaces 'shit' with 'shirt.' Also appears as 'bullshirt.'
Smeg
≈ “Fuck / Shit (general purpose)”
/SMEG/noun/verb/adjective/interjection
The most versatile curse word in the Red Dwarf universe. Can be used as a noun (smeg), adjective (smegging), or combined with other words (smeghead).
Frell
≈ “Fuck / Damn / Hell”
/FREL/verb/interjection
The primary all-purpose expletive in Farscape. Can be used in every context from 'frell off' to 'frelling idiot.' Created by the Sebacean species.
Dren
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/DREN/noun
Farscape's equivalent of excrement, used both literally and as a general-purpose expression of disgust or frustration.
Mivonks
≈ “Balls / Testicles”
/MIH-vonks/noun
Anatomical slang for testicles in Farscape. Used both literally and in figurative expressions about manipulation.
Shiny
≈ “Cool / Great (positive exclamation)”
/SHY-nee/adjective/interjection
Firefly slang for 'cool' or 'great.' Not a curse per se but part of the show's distinctive vernacular that replaced standard exclamations.
Karabast
≈ “Damn / Dammit”
/KAIR-uh-bast/interjection
A Lasat exclamation expressing extreme irritation or surprise. Zeb's signature curse word in Star Wars Rebels.
Kriff
≈ “Fuck (milder)”
/KRIF/verb/adjective/interjection
The Star Wars galaxy's most widespread F-word equivalent. Can be used as verb, adjective (kriffing), or interjection.
Kark
≈ “Fuck”
/KARK/verb/adjective/interjection
A Huttese expletive that functions as a strong F-word equivalent. Most prominent in the Legacy-era comics.
Fierfek
≈ “Shit / Damn (strong)”
/FEER-fek/noun/interjection
A Huttese curse meaning something vile. Popular among clone commandos in the Republic Commando media.
Stang
≈ “Damn / Hell”
/STANG/interjection/noun
An Alderaanian expletive. One of the oldest invented swear words in the Star Wars expanded universe.
Druk
≈ “Shit (literal excrement)”
/DRUK/noun
An alien word literally meaning excrement. Used in compounds like 'a druk-load of problems.'
Dwang
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/DWANG/noun
A euphemism for excrement used by clone troopers during the Clone Wars.
Shebs
≈ “Ass / Buttocks”
/SHEBZ/noun
A Mandalorian swear word meaning buttocks. Used in insults and expressions of contempt.
Shazbot
≈ “Shit / Damn”
/SHAZ-bot/interjection
An Orkan curse word used by Mork, an alien from the planet Ork. Briefly became a real-world pop culture catchphrase in the late 1970s-80s.
Belgium
≈ “Fuck (most offensive word in the galaxy)”
/BEL-jum/noun/interjection
In the Hitchhiker's universe, 'Belgium' is the most unspeakably offensive word in the galaxy. It was introduced when American publishers refused to print the original F-word.
Zark
≈ “Fuck”
/ZARK/verb/adjective
A verb used like a substitute for 'fucking.' Likely derived from the prophet Zarquon in-universe.
D'Arvit
≈ “Damn / Fuck (extremely strong)”
/DAR-vit/interjection
A Gnommish swear word described by the author as so severe when translated that it would need to be censored.
Crem
≈ “Crap / Shit (mild)”
/KREM/noun
The most common mild swear word on Roshar. Crem is the stony mineral runoff carried by highstorms that hardens and coats everything.
Mother's milk in a cup
≈ “Son of a bitch / Motherfucker (shock)”
/MUTH-erz milk in a KUP/interjection
An oath expressing extreme disgust or shock. Its vulgarity is in the implication rather than explicit meaning.
Xuth
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/ZOOTH/interjection
An Argonian (Jel language) exclamation used to express frustration or anger.
Kaoc
≈ “Crap / Shit”
/KAY-ok/noun/interjection
Argonian (Jel) word for crap or excrement, used as a scatological expletive.
Smurf
≈ “Any word (universal substitute)”
/SMURF/noun/verb/adjective/everything
The Smurfs replace nearly any word with 'smurf,' which when applied to profanity, creates implied swearing that can be shockingly vulgar in implication.
Feth
≈ “Fuck”
/FETH/verb/adjective/interjection
The primary expletive of the Tanith First and Only regiment. Derived from an ancient tree spirit associated with fertility on their destroyed homeworld.
Gak
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/GAK/noun
Scatological profanity in the Gaunt's Ghosts series, equivalent to 'shit' or 'crap.'
Drek
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/DREK/noun
Standard scatological profanity in the Shadowrun universe. Equivalent to 'shit' or 'crap.'
Slot
≈ “Fuck (vulgar, aggressive)”
/SLOT/verb/noun
A strong vulgar term in the Shadowrun universe, used similarly to the F-word. Has a particularly 'greasy' and aggressive connotation.
Frag / Fragger
≈ “Fuck / Fucker”
/FRAG / FRAG-er/verb/noun/adjective
The primary F-word substitute in Shadowrun. Used as verb, noun, and adjective just like its real-world counterpart.
Tanj
≈ “Damn / Fuck (acronym)”
/TANJ/interjection
An all-purpose swear word from Larry Niven's Known Space universe. Acronym for 'There Ain't No Justice.'
Fewmets
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/FYOO-mets/noun
Dragon droppings. Used as a general expletive among dragonriders who spend their days cleaning up after enormous dragons.
Grife
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/GRYFE/interjection
A 31st-century expletive used by the Legion of Super-Heroes. General-purpose expression of frustration.
Sprock
≈ “Fuck”
/SPROK/verb/adjective
The Legion of Super-Heroes' equivalent of the F-word. Used primarily as an adjective ('sprocking').
Shock
≈ “Fuck”
/SHOK/verb/adjective/interjection
The primary expletive in Marvel's 2099 future timeline. Used as a substitute for 'fuck' in all contexts.
Scrap
≈ “Shit / Damn”
/SKRAP/noun/interjection
General-purpose Cybertronian expletive. Like 'slag,' it derives from mechanical/industrial processes appropriate for a robot civilization.
Grozit
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/GROH-zit/interjection
A curse from the planet Xenex, used by Captain Mackenzie Calhoun. Also used in Space Cases by the same creator.
Frinx
≈ “Fuck / Damn”
/FRINKS/interjection
A Ferengi exclamation used by Quark, expressing shock or dismay.
Sparks
≈ “Damn / Crap (mild)”
/SPARKS/interjection
A mild exclamation used in the Reckoners series' future Earth. Generally considered one of Sanderson's less successful invented curses.
Shazbot
≈ “Shit / Damn (see entry 27 - expanded)”
/SHAZ-bot/interjection
Borrowed from Mork & Mindy and incorporated into the Tribes video game series as a voice command emote, giving it a second life in gaming culture.
Yotz
≈ “Hell / Damn (exclamation)”
/YOTZ/interjection
A Hynerian exclamation roughly equivalent to 'hell.' Often used in compound 'boll-yotz' (bullshit).
Sodding
≈ “Fucking (British mild)”
/SOD-ing/adjective
The primary dwarven expletive in Dragon Age. Already a real (mild) British curse, it fits naturally for the dwarven culture.
Starving
≈ “Fucking / Damn (adjective)”
/STAR-ving/adjective/interjection
Lift's personal curse word in the Stormlight Archive. Reflects her constant preoccupation with food and hunger.
Vack
≈ “Fuck (existential dread)”
/VAK/noun/verb/interjection
The primary expletive among Striders (asteroid belt dwellers). Short for 'vacuum' — the ever-present lethal threat of space.
Scrum
≈ “Fuck”
/SKRUM/verb/noun
The primary expletive in the city of Tevanne. Functions as the world's F-word.
Shrok
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/SHROK/noun/interjection
A Narn word roughly equivalent to 'shit' or 'crap.' Used by Narn characters on Babylon 5.
Holy shrimp
≈ “Holy shit”
/HOH-lee SHRIMP/interjection
One of SpongeBob's many nautical-themed profanity substitutions. Part of a system including 'barnacles,' 'tartar sauce,' and 'fish paste.'
Barnacles
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/BAR-nuh-kulz/interjection
SpongeBob's nautical equivalent of 'damn' or 'crap.' Barnacles are nuisance organisms that cling to surfaces underwater.
Tartar sauce
≈ “Shit / Damn (stronger SpongeBob oath)”
/TAR-tar SAWS/interjection
A slightly stronger SpongeBob oath, typically reserved for moments of greater frustration than 'barnacles' warrants.
Dolphin noise (censored word #11)
≈ “Fuck / Shit (implied)”
/[ dolphin chirp ]/unknown (censored)
In the 'Sailor Mouth' episode, actual swearing is censored by dolphin noises. The joke is that SpongeBob and Patrick are saying terrible things, but we only hear dolphin chirps.
Bleep
≈ “Any curse word (meta-censorship becomes the word)”
/BLEEP/noun/verb/interjection
In Larry Niven's Known Space, the censor bleep itself evolved into a swear word. Also used in Futurama where characters literally say 'bleep.'
Flaming
≈ “Fucking / Damn (adjective)”
/FLAY-ming/adjective
A profane modifier in the Wheel of Time, used to intensify insults and express frustration. Often paired with 'bloody.'
Flatline
≈ “Kill / Murder (verb)”
/FLAT-line/verb
Night City slang for killing someone, derived from the flatline on a heart monitor indicating death.
Zero
≈ “Murder / Kill”
/ZEER-oh/verb/noun
Night City slang for murder. Reducing a life to zero — complete erasure. More deliberate and cold-blooded than 'flatline.'
Frinx / Frak (Star Trek context)
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/FRINKS / FRAK/interjection
Various alien expletives used across the Star Trek franchise. Star Trek generally uses untranslated alien curses rather than invented English substitutes.
Crikk
≈ “Damn / Shit”
/KRIK/interjection
The High Republic era's distinctive expletive, adding to the Star Wars galaxy's expanding vocabulary of fictional profanity.
Crink
≈ “Fuck (pirate/criminal)”
/KRINK/verb/adjective
A pirate-specific swear word from the Star Wars Outer Rim. Used as an F-word equivalent in criminal circles.
Farkled
≈ “Fucked / Screwed”
/FAR-kuld/adjective
An adjectival F-word euphemism used to describe bleak or disastrous situations.
Mee krob
≈ “A curse word (meta joke)”
/MEE KROB/noun
In the South Park episode where 'shit' is overused until it loses meaning, Cartman suggests 'mee krob' as a replacement bad word. It's a Thai appetizer, making the joke about the arbitrariness of linguistic taboo.
Pashang
≈ “Fuck”
/pah-SHAHNG/verb/interjection
Belter Creole expletive derived from Chinese. Functions as the Belt's F-word.
Confusticate and bebother
≈ “Damn and blast”
/con-FUS-tih-kate and bee-BOTH-er/interjection
Bilbo's exasperated outburst when dwarves invade his home. Pure Hobbit-style cursing — flustered, comical, and endearingly mild.
Swankified
≈ “Made fancy / Cool”
/SWANK-ih-fyed/adjective
An Ozian term meaning something has been made fashionable or impressive. Part of the Ozian vocabulary that adds '-ified' or '-ify' to existing English words.
D'ast
≈ “Damn”
/DAST/interjection
A Kree-origin expletive equivalent to 'damn.' Star-Lord uses it frequently in the comics, though the MCU films use standard English profanity instead.
Flark
≈ “Fuck”
/FLARK/verb/adjective/interjection
The Marvel cosmic F-word equivalent. Used by various aliens and spacefaring characters. Can be conjugated as 'flarking' or 'flarknard.'
Ploughing
≈ “Fucking (adjective)”
/PLOW-ing/adjective/verb
While The Witcher uses plenty of real profanity, 'ploughing' serves as the Continent's distinctive strong adjective, replacing the F-word in many contexts.
Banana!
≈ “Various exclamations/profanity”
/bah-NAH-nah/interjection
Minions speak in 'Minionese,' a gibberish language mixing real words from multiple languages. 'Banana' is their most famous exclamation, but they also use 'Bee-do' (alarm), 'Pwede na' (Can we start), and various sounds that imply profanity through tone and context.
Hot Belgian waffles!
≈ “Holy shit! / Goddammit!”
/HOT BEL-jun WAH-fulz/interjection
Grunkle Stan's go-to substitute for profanity. Gravity Falls had characters clearly about to swear before substituting with food-based exclamations. Stan once says 'Son of a—' before the scene cuts.
Wubba lubba dub-dub
≈ “I am in great pain, please help me (hidden meaning)”
/WUB-ah LUB-ah DUB-dub/interjection
Rick's seemingly nonsensical catchphrase is actually Birdperson's language for 'I am in great pain, please help me.' What seems like a fun exclamation is actually a cry for help.
Shuck
≈ “Fuck / Shit”
/SHUK/verb/adjective/interjection
The Gladers' primary expletive, replacing both the F-word and the S-word. Used in 'shuck-face' (insult), 'shucking' (adjective), and as a standalone exclamation.
Klunk
≈ “Shit / Crap”
/KLUNK/noun/interjection
Glader slang for excrement, both literal and figurative. The onomatopoeic quality suggests something heavy and unpleasant hitting the ground.
D'oh!
≈ “Damn! / Shit! (frustration)”
/DOH/interjection
Homer's signature exclamation of frustration. While not replacing a specific curse word, it functions as Homer's instinctive profanity — the sound he makes when everything goes wrong.
Slim it
≈ “Shut up / Calm down”
/SLIM IT/verb phrase
Glader command to be quiet or calm down. More forceful than a polite request but less vulgar than 'shut the shuck up.'
Tross
≈ “Crap / Crap situation”
/TROS/noun/adjective
Republic street slang for something bad, worthless, or disgusting. Used as both noun ('that's tross') and adjective ('tross luck').
Precision of Language
≈ “Watch your mouth / Mind your words”
/preh-SIH-zhun of LANG-wij/noun phrase (rebuke)
Not a curse word but its opposite — the Community's mechanism for eliminating strong language and, by extension, strong feeling. When someone uses imprecise or emotional language, they're corrected with this phrase. It represents linguistic control as social control.
Tone it down / Deadish
≈ “N/A — profanity has lost its power”
/DED-ish/adjective
In Scythe's post-mortal world, death-related curses have lost their sting. Nobody fears death because everyone can be revived. The series explores how 'deadish' (temporarily dead, to be revived) replaces 'dead' — and how profanity around death becomes meaningless.
Flameo
≈ “Hello / Goodbye / Great (archaic); possibly Fuck/Damn (modern)”
/flah-MAY-oh/interjection/adjective
In Aang's time (100 years prior), 'flameo' was a Fire Nation greeting meaning 'hello' or 'great.' By Korra's era, Lin Beifong uses 'What in the flameo happened here?' as a curse. Fan theory suggests Aang's friend Kuzon taught him the word as a prank — it may have always been profane.
Monkey feathers!
≈ “Damn! / Crap! / Son of a bitch!”
/MUN-kee FEH-therz/interjection
Aang's personal substitute expletive. Combines two random elements (monkeys + feathers) into a nonsensical exclamation — perfectly capturing a 12-year-old Air Nomad monk who was never taught real profanity.
Hotman
≈ “Sir / Buddy (archaic Fire Nation)”
/HOT-man/noun
An archaic Fire Nation term of address meaning 'sir' or 'friend.' Aang uses it enthusiastically, not realizing it's 100 years out of date. Citizens react with confusion. By Korra's era, it may have become insulting.
Balls!
≈ “Shit! / Damn! / Son of a bitch!”
/BAWLZ/interjection
Bobby Singer's go-to exclamation of frustration, surprise, or anger. A one-word eruption that became his second most iconic verbal tic after 'idjits.'
Dattebayo / Believe it!
≈ “Verbal tic / emphasis marker (translated as catchphrase)”
/dah-teh-BAH-yo/interjection/verbal tic
Naruto's untranslatable verbal tic, inherited from his mother Kushina. 'Dattebayo' adds confident emphasis to statements — roughly 'believe it!' or 'ya know!' The English dub translated it as 'Believe it!' which became equally iconic and divisive among fans.
Mendokusai / What a drag
≈ “What a pain / Too troublesome”
/men-DOH-koo-sai/interjection/adjective
Shikamaru's signature catchphrase expressing his perpetual laziness. A real Japanese word meaning 'troublesome/bothersome' that became wholly associated with his character. The English dub's 'What a drag' became equally iconic.
Shannarō! / Cha!
≈ “Hell yeah! / Take that!”
/shah-nah-ROH / CHAH/interjection
Sakura's inner monologue battle cry, representing her suppressed aggressive side. 'Shannarō' has no direct translation — it's a made-up exclamation of fierce determination. The English dub used 'Cha!' which became equally iconic.
Kuso!
≈ “Shit! / Damn! / Crap!”
/KOO-soh/interjection
The single most common Japanese expletive in anime. Literally means 'shit/excrement' but is used as casually as English 'damn' or 'crap.' Its severity depends entirely on how it's translated — 'kuso' can become anything from 'darn' to 'shit' depending on the dub.
Chikushou!
≈ “Damn it! / Son of a beast!”
/chee-koo-SHOW/interjection
A Japanese exclamation of intense frustration. Literally 'beast!' — calling the situation (or person) beastly/inhuman. Goku screams it frequently in Dragon Ball. Often translated as 'damn it!' or 'son of a bitch!' in English dubs.