We all know that cuss words can be incredibly vulgar and offensive, but sometimes they can also be quite poetic. After all, cuss words are the linguistic equivalent of a raw, unedited version of our inner thoughts and feelings. So, just because we felt like it, we’ve put together a list of 41 of our favorite quotes with swear words (in no particular order!)
From funny to poignant, we’ve arranged the different swear words into categories to make things easier.
So how about you?
What’s your favorite curse word?
Shit
As a nation, we are known for using frequent curse words, but we also have many quotes with curse words that express how we feel. Shit will always be near the top of the list for curse words that express how we’re feeling. It’s often hard to define a moment with language, but a person speaking can create a mood with profanity.
Shit is one of our favorite curse words because it can mean so many things. It can be used to express anger, frustration, or disbelief. It can also be used to emphasize a point or to add humor to a situation. In some cases, shit can even be used as a term of endearment. Ultimately, shit is a versatile word that can help to express a wide range of emotions. So next time you’re feeling frustrated, try letting out a good hearty “shit.” You might just feel better afterward.
1. “Shit is the tofu of cursing and can be molded to whichever condition the speaker desires. Hot as shit. Windy as shit. I myself was confounded as shit…”
― David Sedaris
2. I’ve been accused of vulgarity. I say that’s bullshit.
― Mel Brooks
3. “It’s a strange world. Some people get rich and others eat shit and die.”
― Hunter S. Thompson, Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the ’80’s
4. “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.”
― Toni Morrison, Song of Solomon
Fuck
There is no doubt that if we were able to get a response from the majority of Americans pertaining to their favorite profanity, a good percentage would say that their preferred word for swearing is “fuck”.
Fuck gives a sense of passion when you hear it!
There are several reasons for this. First of all, “fuck” is extremely versatile – it can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective, making it perfect for any situation. Secondly, “fuck” has a certain sense of power to it – when you hear someone say “fuck”, you know they really mean it. Finally, “fuck” is simply fun to say – it’s one of those words that just feels good to say out loud. So next time you’re feeling angry or frustrated, don’t hold back – let loose with your favorite profanity, and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a good, old-fashioned “fuck”.
5. “The thing that I have been looking for, for almost a decade, turned out to be a fuck. Yes, a fuck.”
― Kei Kaiser
6. “If possible, I would still like to find this very thing called “a fuck”, but I can’t be overly optimistic about it as It seems impossible right now.”
― Kei Kaiser
7. “Sometimes , I am unable to resist an unknown force which pushes me to go beyond my limits and makes me deaf for listening to all the fuck that others say and think about me.”
― Spriha Kant
8. “If you don’t like something it’s okay to shut the fuck up about it and find something you do like.”
― Marc Maron
9. “Don’t get pulled down by any crap. Go and fucking make it happen, even when it seems impossible.”
― Hiral Nagda
10. “The planet is fine. The people are fucked.”
― George Carlin
11. “I curse when I get really upset. Letting off steam that way makes me feel a little bit better. I’ve been through a lot, but I have never had the urge to go postal. I thank fuck for that.”
― Oliver Markus, Sex and Crime: Oliver’s Strange Journey
12. “Shitting fucking hell! I slap my hand over my lips to stop my mental explicit language from falling out of my mouth.”
― Jodi Ellen Malpas, This Man
13. “FEAR stands for fuck everything and run.”
― Stephen King, Doctor Sleep
14. “I don’t know how to phrase this exactly but what the fuck?”
― Lev Grossman, The Magician’s Land
15. “Profanity is to language as salt is to food. Too much will give you high blood pressure. Too little and it gets really fucking bland.””
― Micah R. Sisk
16. “A lot of people lacked that gift: knowing when to fuck off.”
― Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl
17. “People who live in glass houses should shut the fuck up.”
― Ernest Cline, Ready Player One
18. “How do people, like, not curse? How is it possible? There are these gaps in speech where you just have to put a ‘fuck.'”
― Nick Hornby, A Long Way Down
19. “Fuck that. Fuck that idea like the fucking Captain of the Thai Fuck Team fucking at the fucking Tour de Fuck.”
― David Wong, John Dies at the End
20. “When shit brings you down, just say ‘fuck it’, and eat yourself some motherfucking candy.”
― David Sedaris, Me Talk Pretty One Day
21. “Ah fuckin hate the way some American cunts call lassies cunts. Fuckin offensive, that shite.”
― Irvine Welsh, Dead Men’s Trousers
22. “Humans listen to their hearts so fucking loud that they mute their dumbass brains.”
― The Fart Blast
Dick
Referring to someone or something as a “dick” is just standard practice in 2022. I bet we’ve all mumbled the word under our breath when someone pissed us off without even realizing it!
Whether you’re referring to your friends at school or your parents, the word “dick” has a versatility that allows it to be used in a variety of contexts. And while some might argue that the word is too crude for everyday use, its proponents will point out that its very crudeness is what makes it so perfect for use in all situations.
So whether you’re angry, frustrated, or just feeling cheeky, don’t be afraid to drop a “dick” into your conversation. It’s the standard way of talking in 2022.
23. “I didn’t need to be a writer to know that I could. Did you have to become a penis to act like a dick?”
― Crystal Woods, Write like no one is reading 2
Damn
Is “damn” even considered profanity anymore? I swear I’ve heard second graders speak this word without parents ever knowing it happened! It’s still on our list of cursed quotes, of course!
24. “Maybe ever’body in the whole damn world is scared of each other.”
― John Steinbeck, Of Mice and Men
Ass
When it comes to profanity, ass is one of the milder words in the English language. While it can certainly be used to express shock, disgust, or outrage, it is most often used in a humorous way. Whether we’re describing someone as an “asshat” or referring to our own stubborn “ass-backwards” behavior, ass tends to be more playful than overtly offensive.
While this word may not always be appropriate for all audiences, there’s no denying that it manages to retain its edge despite its more innocent connotations. So if you’re looking for a little bit of saltiness in your language without totally crossing over into the realm of the offensive, ass is most definitely the word in this collection for you!
25. “Sometimes you just have to tell your fear to kiss your ass.”
― Junnita Jackson
26. “Photoshop is just like makeup. When it’s done well it looks great, and when it’s overdone you look like a crazy asshole.”
― Tina Fey, Bossypants
27. “The world is only broken into two tribes: the people who are assholes and the people who are not.”
― Sherman Alexie, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
28. “Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.”
― William Gibson
Quotes About Swearing, but Without Curse Words
Swearing is a delicate art. Done wrong, it can come across as crass and vulgar. But done right, it can add a touch of spice to any conversation. Unfortunately, many people don’t seem to understand the nuances of swearing. They blurt out profanity without any thought or consideration for how it might be received. As a result, they often end up offending more people than they intended to.
Thankfully, there are plenty of quotes about swearing that don’t actually contain any curse words, and help to reveal the heart of why people swear in the first place. These quotes capture the essence of what it means to swear without using any offensive language.
29. “Swearing was invented as a compromise between running away and fighting.”
― Finley Peter Dunne
30. “Cursing numbs pain. The relationship between pain and cursing is not one-way (for example, stubbing your toe and letting out a stream of expletives in rage). Those expletives, in turn, affect our perceptions of pain. Through a series of creative experiments, scientists have found that the stronger the curse words people use while experiencing pain the higher their tolerance for that pain. Byrne notes, depressingly, that women who curse when in pain, however, are less well cared for by those around them.”
― Soraya Chemaly, Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger
31. “When it comes to cursing I am an Artist .”
― Elaaz Allouane
32. “Vulgarity is like a fine wine: it should only be uncorked on a special occasion, and then only shared with the right group of people.”
― James Rozoff
33. “He had discovered, as many others had before him, that only the first cussword is really hard; after that, there’s nothing quite like them for relieving one’s feelings.”
― Stephen King, Wizard and Glass
34. “Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It’s much better to verbalize it, and let off steam. Maybe all that repressed anger is the reason why there are so many serial killers in America.”
― Oliver Markus Malloy, Bad Choices Make Good Stories – Going to New York
35. “If you want to get rid of the perceived meaning of curse words, you’ll have to get rid of the feelings which bring their use, and that’s not going to happen.”
― Orlando Winters, Stop Being a F***ing Idiot
36. “Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer”
― Mark Twain
37. There ought to be a room in every house to swear in. It’s dangerous to have to repress an emotion like that.
― Mark Twain
38. Swearing is an art form. You can express yourself much more exactly, much more succinctly, with properly used curse words.
― Coleman Young
39. “Cause if you shoot a bullet someone dies. If you drop a bomb many die. You hit a woman, love dies. But if you say the F-word… nothing actually happens.”
― Richard Curtis
40. “Never use a big word when a little filthy one will do.”
― Johnny Carson
41. “I thought it was endearing when we first got together. By the end I wanted to stab him in the hand every time he dismissed my cursing as an uncreative vocabulary. I think being able to use one little four letter word to convey a hundred different thoughts is pretty fucking creative.”
― Alafair Burke, The Ex
Bonus! Quotes From Around the Internet
Whether you’re a sailor or a saint, there’s bound to be a time when you let slip a curse word or two. And while some people may view swearing as a sign of poor character, there’s actually quite a lot to be said for using colorful language.
For one thing, it can help to release tension and relieve stress. Research has shown that swearing can also increase pain tolerance, which is why many athletes use it as a form of motivation. Not to mention, swearing can be downright funny.
So the next time you’re feeling blue, try letting loose with a few choice words. You might just find that it does the trick.
Now that we’ve gone through our favorite collection of famous and memorable swearing quotes, here’s a bonus collection from around the internet of cursed sentences that can be used to create a sense of comedy and make people crack up!
Shit
1. I googled “who gives a shit” and my name wasn’t in the search results
2. Coping: the act of changing bullshit into sunshine.
3. If swearing in front of my child makes me a bad parent… then, shit!
Dumbass
4. I wish ‘you dumbass’ was an appropriate way to end an email at work.
Fuck
5. And by “k” I mean “fuck you”
6. The path to inner peace begins with four words: Not. My. Fucking. Problem.
7. I’m mostly ‘peace, love, & light’ and a little ‘go fuck yourself’.
8. I do not spew profanities. I enunciate them properly, like a fucking lady.
9. Have you tried my new recipe? They’re called shut the fuckupcakes.
10. Fuck this shit’ is a perfectly acceptable way to say ‘no’.
11. Don’t try to explain yourself to idiots. You’re not the dumbfuck whisperer.
12. The reason I swear so much is because fuck you.
13. My soul was removed to make room for all this fucking sarcasm.
14. I’m not always a bitch. Just kidding. Go fuck yourself.
15. Behold my field of fucks and see that it is barren.
16. Is ‘fuck off’ an emotion? Because I feel that shit in my soul.
17. Looks like it’s fuck-this-shit-o’clock.
18. Live. Laugh. Fuck off.
19. I suck at apologies so unfuck you, or whatever.
20. What (and I can’t stress this enough) the fuck.
21. Boss: Good morning. Me: You need to calm the fuck down.
22. Can you see the ‘fuck you’ in my smile?
23. I’ve come to a point in my life where I need a word stronger than “fuck”
24. Off is the general direction in which I’d wish you would fuck.
25. The root of suffering is the giving of fucks
Just Fucking Say It!
The next time you feel like letting loose with a few f-bombs, just remember that you’re in good company. Shakespeare, Joyce, and Twain all had a penchant for colorful language, and chances are they would have cussed up a storm if given the opportunity.
And who knows? Maybe those naughty words add an extra bit of color and life to your writing or art. After all, there’s nothing quite as poetic as the sound of true authenticity.
