1
as in nickname
a descriptive or familiar name given instead of or in addition to the one belonging to an individual
King Richard I of England was given the very laudatory epithet "the Lion-Hearted"
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2
as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings
the school has a strict ban against the use of offensive epithets
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of epithet
By the turn of the 19th century, however, the epithet had taken on a different meaning.
—
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
This segregation, alongside the racial epithets and physical confrontations showered upon those with brown skin, led the workers to sue.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
The next day, one of his supporters called U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chambers and called her a racial epithet.
—Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
In Greek mythology, Chloe was an epithet of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epithet
Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Jan. 2025
This segregation, alongside the racial epithets and physical confrontations showered upon those with brown skin, led the workers to sue.
—Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
The next day, one of his supporters called U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan’s chambers and called her a racial epithet.
—Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
In Greek mythology, Chloe was an epithet of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and fertility.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for epithet
Recent Examples of Synonyms for epithet
Noun
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For some, the preferred nickname might be City of the Big Shoulders and Hog Butcher for the World, courtesy of poet Carl Sandburg.—
Rick Kogan,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Feb. 2025
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The giant rock formation that stretches out into the water resembles a dinosaur, which has earned it the nickname T. Rex Bay.—
Brittany Anas,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Noun
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During a 2026 World Cup qualifier against Brazil in November 2023, Messi and Rodrygo exchanged insults.—
Felipe Cardenas,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
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The jury found that on Aug. 19, after Stanford revoked her access, Mangi logged into the study database and replaced patient medical data with erroneous information and insults about her former supervisor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.—
Jason Green,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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As reported by the Daily Mail and by People, the official surname for the British royal family, including for Meghan and Harry, is Mountbatten-Windsor.—
Martha Ross,
The Mercury News,
7 Mar. 2025
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Instead of using titles like Mountbatten-Windsor, royal children typically adopt their parents' titles as their surname.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The perfumer, whose moniker is the Master of Disorder, has previously dreamed up scents for labels including Amouage, Comme des Garçons and Penhaligon’s.—
Lily Templeton,
WWD,
4 Mar. 2025
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Turner, who goes by them/they pronouns, took the opportunity to differentiate the new moniker from their previous one.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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With her previous roles in Blockers and Drive-Away Dolls, Viswanathan is a studio comedy pro at this point, injecting her trademark sarcasm and deadpan stare whenever necessary.—
Jourdain Searles,
The Hollywood Reporter,
29 Jan. 2025
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At a dinner party in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, a guest speaks with dark sarcasm of the singular achievements of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas mastermind behind the horrendous Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the current conflagration (an Israeli drone killed Sinwar a year later).—
Max Rodenbeck,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Epithet.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/epithet. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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