Severity

Extreme

The words a fictional world reserves for its worst moments. Extreme entries are the ones that carry the most worldbuilding weight — they reveal what a society considers truly unspeakable.

57 entries in the archive

Battlestar Galactica·

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.

TVExpletive
Battlestar Galactica·

Toaster

≈ “N-word / Racial slur

/TOH-ster/noun (slur)

A racial slur used by humans to dehumanize Cylons, reducing sentient beings to household appliances.

TVInsult
Red Dwarf·

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).

TVExpletive
Farscape·

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.

TVExpletive
Star Wars (various novels)·

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.

ComicExpletive
Star Wars (Legacy comics)·

Kark

≈ “Fuck

/KARK/verb/adjective/interjection

A Huttese expletive that functions as a strong F-word equivalent. Most prominent in the Legacy-era comics.

ComicExpletive
Star Wars (various)·

Fierfek

≈ “Shit / Damn (strong)

/FEER-fek/noun/interjection

A Huttese curse meaning something vile. Popular among clone commandos in the Republic Commando media.

GameExpletive
Star Wars (Dark Empire II)·

Sithspawn

≈ “Son of a bitch / Damn

/SITH-spawn/noun/interjection

Both a general curse and a term for creatures genetically engineered by the Sith. As an expletive, it implies something born of pure evil.

ComicInsult
Star Wars (The Empire Strikes Back)·

E chu ta

≈ “Fuck off / Go to hell (implied)

/eh-CHOO-tah/interjection

A Huttese curse uttered by a silver protocol droid to C-3PO in Cloud City. C-3PO's shocked 'How rude!' suggests it's deeply offensive.

FilmInsult
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy·

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.

FilmExpletive
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy·

Zark

≈ “Fuck

/ZARK/verb/adjective

A verb used like a substitute for 'fucking.' Likely derived from the prophet Zarquon in-universe.

BookExpletive
Harry Potter·

Mudblood

≈ “N-word (racial slur)

/MUD-blud/noun (slur)

A deeply offensive slur used by blood-purist wizards against Muggle-born witches and wizards. Functions as the wizarding world's equivalent of the most extreme racial slurs.

FilmInsult
Harry Potter·

Blood traitor

≈ “Race traitor / Class traitor

/BLUD TRAY-tor/noun (insult)

An insult used by blood-purists against pure-blood wizards who associate with Muggle-borns or advocate for Muggle rights. The Weasley family is frequently targeted with this term.

FilmInsult
Harry Potter·

Half-breed

≈ “Mixed-race slur

/HAF-breed/noun (slur)

A bigoted term used against werewolves, centaurs, merpeople, and half-giants — anyone perceived as not fully human or not fully wizard.

FilmInsult
Red Dwarf·

Smeg / Smeghead

≈ “Dickhead / Idiot (vulgar)

/SMEG-hed/noun (insult)

The signature insult of Red Dwarf. 'Smeghead' combines the show's all-purpose expletive with 'head' to create an insult roughly equivalent to 'dickhead.'

TVInsult
Artemis Fowl·

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.

BookExpletive
The Wheel of Time·

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.

BookExpletive
The Elder Scrolls (Morrowind)·

N'wah

≈ “Foreigner / Outsider (slur)

/en-WAH/noun (slur)

A Dunmeri slur meaning 'outlander' or 'foreigner.' Used by Dark Elves against anyone not native to Morrowind, carrying intense xenophobic contempt.

GameInsult
District 9·

Prawn

≈ “Racial slur (for aliens)

/PRAWN/noun (slur)

A derogatory term used by humans for the alien Poleepkwa, comparing them to bottom-feeding crustaceans. The film uses it as an apartheid allegory.

FilmInsult
Blade Runner·

Skinjob

≈ “Racial slur (for replicants/humanoids)

/SKIN-job/noun (slur)

A derogatory term for replicants — bioengineered humanoids. Implies they're merely skin stretched over machinery, denying their potential personhood.

FilmInsult
Marvel / X-Men·

Mutie / Muties

≈ “N-word equivalent for mutants

/MYOO-tee/noun (slur)

A slur directed at mutants in the Marvel Universe. Sometimes referred to as 'the m-word.' Became the Marvel equivalent of the most extreme real-world racial slurs.

TVInsult
True Blood·

Fangbanger

≈ “Slur for humans who sleep with vampires

/FANG-bang-er/noun (slur)

A slur for humans who have sexual relationships with vampires. Shames them for crossing the human-vampire divide.

TVInsult
Warhammer 40K (Gaunt's Ghosts)·

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.

BookExpletive
Shadowrun·

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.

GameExpletive
Shadowrun·

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.

GameExpletive
Shadowrun·

Keebs

≈ “Slur for elves

/KEEBZ/noun (slur)

A derogatory term for elves in the Shadowrun universe, derived from 'Keebler Elves' (a cookie brand featuring elf mascots).

GameInsult
Shadowrun·

Trog

≈ “Slur for orks/trolls

/TROG/noun (slur)

A derogatory term for orks and trolls collectively, derived from 'troglodyte' — implying they're primitive cave-dwellers.

GameInsult
The 100·

Grounder-pounder

≈ “Slur for those who fraternize with grounders

/GROUN-der POUN-der/noun (slur)

An insult used by space-station-born characters against those who form relationships with Earth-dwelling 'Grounders.'

TVInsult
DC Comics (Legion of Super-Heroes)·

Sprock

≈ “Fuck

/SPROK/verb/adjective

The Legion of Super-Heroes' equivalent of the F-word. Used primarily as an adjective ('sprocking').

ComicExpletive
Marvel 2099·

Shock

≈ “Fuck

/SHOK/verb/adjective/interjection

The primary expletive in Marvel's 2099 future timeline. Used as a substitute for 'fuck' in all contexts.

ComicExpletive
Noughts and Crosses·

Blanker

≈ “Racial slur for white people

/BLANK-er/noun (slur)

In the inverted-racism world of Noughts and Crosses, 'blanker' is the slur used by the dominant black Crosses against the oppressed white Noughts.

TVInsult
Star Trek·

petaQ

≈ “Dishonorable coward / Bastard

/peh-TAK/noun (insult)

The most iconic Klingon insult. Implies the target is without honor — the worst thing a Klingon can say about someone.

TVInsult
Stargate SG-1·

Shol'va

≈ “Traitor / Heretic

/SHOL-vah/noun (slur/insult)

A Goa'uld term meaning 'traitor,' specifically one who betrays the false gods. Applied to Teal'c after he defects to the SGC.

TVInsult
Discworld·

Lawn ornament

≈ “Slur for dwarfs

/LAWN OR-nuh-ment/noun (slur)

A slur used against dwarfs in the Discworld, comparing them to decorative garden gnomes. Deeply offensive in-universe.

BookInsult
Dragon Age·

Nug-humper

≈ “Derogatory sexual insult

/NUG-hum-per/noun (insult)

A dwarven insult implying someone engages in sexual acts with nugs (small, hairless rabbit-like creatures). The dwarven equivalent of an extreme sexual insult.

GameInsult
Only Superhuman·

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.

BookExpletive
Foundryside (Divine Cities adjacent)·

Scrum

≈ “Fuck

/SKRUM/verb/noun

The primary expletive in the city of Tevanne. Functions as the world's F-word.

BookExpletive
SpongeBob SquarePants·

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.

TVExpletive
Cyberpunk 2077·

Flatline

≈ “Kill / Murder (verb)

/FLAT-line/verb

Night City slang for killing someone, derived from the flatline on a heart monitor indicating death.

GameExpletive
Cyberpunk 2077·

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.'

GameExpletive
Star Wars (Allegiance)·

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.

BookExpletive
Star Wars (various)·

Farkled

≈ “Fucked / Screwed

/FAR-kuld/adjective

An adjectival F-word euphemism used to describe bleak or disastrous situations.

BookExpletive
Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire·

The Others take you

≈ “Go to Hell / Damn you

/the UH-therz TAYK yoo/interjection/curse

A curse invoking the Others (White Walkers) — the ancient ice demons of Westerosi legend. Equivalent to 'the Devil take you' but using the world's own mythology.

TVOath
Game of Thrones / A Song of Ice and Fire·

Ifak

≈ “Foreigner (slur)

/ih-FAK/noun (slur)

A Dothraki word meaning 'foreigner' used with deep contempt. The Dothraki consider all non-Dothraki peoples inferior, and 'ifak' carries that cultural supremacy.

TVInsult
The Expanse·

Inyalowda

≈ “Inner / Privileged outsider (slur)

/IN-yah-LOW-dah/noun (slur)

Belter Creole term for Earthers and Martians — the 'Inners' who exploit Belt resources while Belters live in poverty. One of the most politically charged slurs in modern sci-fi.

TVInsult
The Expanse·

Welwala

≈ “Traitor / Sellout / Uncle Tom

/WEL-wah-lah/noun (slur)

A Belter who is overly sympathetic to or collaborates with the Inner Planets. The worst thing one Belter can call another — it means you've betrayed your own people.

TVInsult
The Expanse·

Pashang

≈ “Fuck

/pah-SHAHNG/verb/interjection

Belter Creole expletive derived from Chinese. Functions as the Belt's F-word.

TVExpletive
The Lord of the Rings·

Pushdug

≈ “Stinking filth (Orcish profanity)

/PUSH-dug/noun/adjective (insult)

Part of the untranslated Orcish (Black Speech) profanity in LOTR. Tolkien deliberately left Orcish curses untranslated because they were too foul for his elevated narrative style.

FilmInsult
Guardians of the Galaxy (Marvel Comics)·

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.'

ComicExpletive
The Witcher·

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.

TVExpletive
Rick and Morty·

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.

TVExpletive
The Maze Runner·

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.

FilmExpletive
Red Rising·

Gahja

≈ “Foreigner / Outsider (slur)

/GAH-jah/noun (slur)

A Rim term for outsiders/foreigners, directly derived from the Japanese 'gaijin.' Used by the isolationist Rim Dominion against Core dwellers.

BookInsult
Ender's Game·

Bugger

≈ “Alien enemy (slur) / Real-world profanity repurposed

/BUG-er/noun (slur)

The human slang term for the Formics (insectoid aliens). While 'bugger' is a real English word (a mild British profanity), in this context it's repurposed as a species slur that dehumanizes the alien enemy.

FilmInsult
The Hunger Games·

Avox

≈ “Traitor / Silenced person (dehumanizing label)

/AY-voks/noun (slur/label)

A person whose tongue has been cut out as punishment for rebellion against the Capitol. The word itself comes from Latin 'a' (without) + 'vox' (voice). Being called an Avox reduces a person to their punishment — they are defined entirely by what was taken from them.

FilmInsult
Avatar: The Last Airbender (comics)·

Ash maker

≈ “Racial slur for firebenders

/ASH MAY-ker/noun (slur)

A slur used against Fire Nation citizens/firebenders in the post-war era. References the destruction Fire Nation imperialism caused — reducing cities and people to ash.

ComicInsult
Warbreaker (Cosmere)·

Kalad's Phantoms!

≈ “Jesus Christ! / Holy shit! (oath of shock)

/KAL-adz FAN-tumz/interjection

An oath invoking Kalad the Usurper's legendary Lifeless army — the Phantoms. Kalad created thousands of stone-encased Lifeless soldiers that nearly destroyed civilization during the Manywar. Invoking his Phantoms is invoking the most terrifying military force in Nalthian history.

BookOath