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{{trope}}
[[File:
This trope is a common kind of euphemism, where a word that shouldn't or can't be used will be referred to as "the <letter>-word" instead. Or, alternately, the offending word will have key letters masked by dashes, asterisks, or other punctuation (such as "f--k" or "d@mn").
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Usually occurs in [[Real Life]] as a specific form of [[Gosh Dang It to Heck]] and [[Bowdlerise]], especially in performances for all-ages audiences. Might also appear for comedic value, such as using a euphemism for an innocuous word, or leaving it completely ambiguous what the substituted word actually is.
Inspiration for ''[[The L Word]]'' ([[Hide Your Lesbians|in spirit, anyway]]). Also see [[Not Using the Z Word]] and [[N
{{examples|Examples}}▼
== Anime & Manga ==▼
== Advertising ==
* The minions of Lord Pilaf of ''[[Dragonball]]'' are this way about the "K-word" (the K-word, of course, being "kiss").▼
* In the summer and fall of 2014, Eisneramper (a New York City-area accounting firm) was running both print and radio ads which began [http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=206538&p=37 "Is your company afraid of the 'D' word?"] (Which was "debt", and not "dinosaurs" as some would have preferred.)
* ''[[Burma-Shave]]'' roadside verses occasionally claimed to "take the H out of shave" – making it 'save'.
▲* The minions of Lord Pilaf of ''[[
== Comic Books ==
* The issue of ''[[Quantum and Woody]]'' titled "Noogie" begins with the characters introducing the issue by saying that they've been forbidden to use the "N-Word", and will use the word "Noogie" instead. The idea is later subverted when a poor black character repeatedly calls Quantum "noogie". Quantum, whose full-body costume covers his identity, demands to know how the man knows he's black, only to be told "You're '''black?''' S-Word!"
* In an issue of ''Viz'', Student Grant is being Politically Correct and is talking about saying the N-word. Of course, he doesn't say the word itself; he says the phrase 'the N-word'. However, one friend tells another that Grant
== Film ==
* Played for laughs in ''[[The Brady Bunch|A Very Brady Sequel]]'', when the villain confronts Mr. Brady with a threat to "kick your Brady butt!" The family gasps, and little Cindy exclaims "Daddy, he said the B-Word!"
* ''[[
{{quote|
'''Beetlejuice:''' Uh-uh! Nobody says the B-word. }}
** There is, however, a practical reason: B can be summoned or banished by saying his name three times.
* Played with in a scene in ''[[Rush Hour]] 3''. Carter and Lee are interrogating a man who speaks only French, so they enlist a nun, who's fluent in French, to translate. So, naturally, when she translates the prisoner's taunts, she summarizes with "Well, he used the N-word". For the rest of the scene, Carter and Lee ask her to translate things like "Tell this piece of S-word that I will personally F-word him up", complete with brief stops to determine the spelling of some of the words.
* A right-wing American senator in ''[[In the Loop]]'' repeatedly uses minced oaths rather than swear words. Whem Malcolm Tucker dresses him down, Tucker says, "You are a real boring fuck. Sorry, sorry, I know that you disapprove of the swearing, so I'll sort that out: You are a boring f-star-star-''cunt''."
* The trope is comically subverted in UK cop film ''[[Hot Fuzz]]''. The police station's swear box has a list of prohibited swear words, each of which is [[Bowdlerise|bowdlerized]]
* ''[[A Christmas Story]]'': "It was ''the'' word! The big one! The queen mother of dirty words! The "F [[Symbol Swearing|dash dash dash]]" word!
* ''[[The Parent Trap (1998 film)|The Parent Trap]]'' (Lindsay Lohan remake) makes use of this trope when Hallie-As-Annie talks to her mother.
{{quote|
'''Elizabeth James:''' The f-word?!
'''Hallie:''' My father.
'''Elizabeth James:''' [[Getting Crap Past the Radar|Oh, that f-word]]... }}
* Subverted in the ''[[South Park]]'' movie when Cartman calls Kyle a "fucking Jew" in class.
{{quote|
'''Cartman:''' "Jew"? }}
* The 1958 film of ''[[Auntie Mame]]'' used this. The title character has given her nephew a pad of paper on which he can write down any words he hears and doesn't understand. When he mentions his father's opinion of her (basically that she's not fit to raise a dog, much less a child), she takes the pad from him and begins to write:
{{quote|
'''Auntie Mame:''' That's a "B", dear. The first letter in a seven-letter word that means your late father. }}
* ''[[Scott Pilgrim Versus the World]]'':
{{quote|
** Earlier:
{{quote|
'''Wallace:''' We don't use the E-word in this house. }}
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** [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=atla;cc=atla;rgn=full%20text;idno=atla0012-5;didno=atla0012-5;view=image;seq=0671;node=atla0012-5%3A1 "D---n the United States! I wish I may never hear of the United States again!"]
* In Isaac Asimov's ''[[Foundation|Forward the Foundation]]'', the word "whore" is written "wh___".
* In Aldous Huxley's [[Brave New World (
* [[Terry Pratchett]] regularly uses this trope in his [[Discworld]] novels:
** Reformed vampires rigidly refuse to say "the B-[[Vampire Vords|vord]]" for fear of losing their resolve.
** In ''[[
** One must not say the M-word ("monkey") when the Librarian is around, since it's his [[Berserk Button]].
*** He ''is'' an ape, after all.
** Then there's the ''other'' N-word, danced around by recurring character [[Never Heard That One Before|Quoth the Raven.]]
** In ''[[
{{quote|
*** The best one, though, is one character's response to Tulip's comment when someone mis-identifies an antique instrument ([[It Makes Sense in Context]]). It also makes perfectly clear exactly what the word means.
{{quote|
'''Shadowy figure''': My word, was it? I thought it was just a sort of early piano! }}
*** Terry Prachett has noted that people have complained about the use of
** Note that having characters ''pronounce'' the dashes and asterisks is a [[Running Gag]] in the [[Discworld]] novels as well:
{{quote|
*** At least as far back as ''[[
{{quote|
** "7a", a ''[[Discworld]]'' euphemism for the number between 7 and 9, which is considered unlucky (as in, tends to attract [[Eldritch Abomination|eldritch nightmares]]) by magic users. Though [[Terry Pratchett]] often noted this point in his early novels, he tended to ignore it in later works...which led to a lot of surprise when ''[[
*** Rincewind noted that, being a [[Cosmic Plaything]], his room number at [[Wizarding School|Unseen University]] is, of course, 7a.
** Subverted in ''[[Reaper Man]]'', where the Dean is forbidden by the Archchancellor from uttering "the Y-word" again, because Ridcully's gotten fed up with his colleague shouting "Yo!" every few seconds.
* In one rather bizarre novel called ''The Impossible Bird'', characters who [[Ascend to
* In ''[[Who Has Seen The Wind]]'', while most characters just swear openly, one guy uses 'GD' in place of 'goddamn'.
* [[Harry Potter]]: "Effing" is a variation, fitting since the books are set in Britain ("Effing" or "f-ing" is a common euphemism for "fucking" in British slang).
* Similarly, from ''[[Dirk
{{quote|
* The Richard Matheson short story ''F---'', set in a future where {{spoiler|sustenance is no longer taken}} orally and as a result, the word {{spoiler|food}} is considered obscene. The clever titling backfired on Matheson when the magazine that featured the story made him use a different title altogether because the unnecessarily bleeped one looked too obscene.
* Rather tediously lampshaded in [[Philip Jose Farmer]]'s Sherlock Holmes/Tarzan crossover, ''The Adventure of the Peerless Peer'', in which Holmes's grotesquely [[Out of Character]] line, "Watson, isn't that a** **** shooting a machine gun?" merits an editorial footnote questioning whether the word has one asterisk too few, or whether Holmes might have used the American formation since the a** **** under discussion was himself an American.
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* Booth Tarkington's ''[[Penrod]]'' uses these to hilarious extremes in his novel [http://www.classicreader.com/book/1207/2/ HARoLD RAMOREZ THE RoAD-AGENT oR WiLD LiFE AMONG THE ROCKY MTS.]
* An episode of ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]]'' plays with this. GOB Bluth buys a yacht called ''The Seaward,'' and his brother Michael is annoyed. Then their mother shows up at the tail end of the conversation and [[Don't Explain the Joke|mishears "The Seaward" as "the c-word"]]:▼
▲== Live Action TV ==
▲* An episode of ''[[Arrested Development (TV)|Arrested Development]]'' plays with this. GOB Bluth buys a yacht called ''The Seaward,'' and his brother Michael is annoyed. Then their mother shows up at the tail end of the conversation and [[Don't Explain the Joke|mishears "The Seaward" as "the c-word"]]:
▲{{quote| '''Michael (to GOB):''' I want you to get rid of ''The Seaward.''<br />
'''Lucille:''' [[Crowning Moment of Funny|I'll leave when I'm good and ready!]] }}
** Note that GOB's other yacht in the final episode is actually called [[Brick Joke|''The C-Word,'']] so written.
** He also calls another of his yachts (after ''The Seaward.'' sunk) the [[Stealth Pun|''Lucille II.'']], making the link explicit.
* The horrible, ''horrible'' [[Anvilicious]] episode of ''[[Big Brother]] 's Big Mouth'' following the ejection of a housemate for using the N Word.
* In ''[[The Colbert Report]]'', Stephen Colbert once [http://thecolbertreport.cc.com/videos/oval1w/jabari-asim interviewed Jabari Asim], the author of a book about [[N-Word Privileges|the N-Word]]. During the interview, Colbert had some fun with this trope:
*: '''Colbert''': First question: did you want to name the book the N-word, and they said "No, you gotta call it 'The N-Word'", or did you say "I want to name this book the N-word", and they assumed you meant, you know, 'The N-Word', while in fact you meant the N-word?
*: '''Asim''': I think I suggested calling it the N-word, and they though it's a good idea to play it safe and call it 'The N-Word'.
* Gordon Ramsey's ''[[The F Word]]''. It's not rude, it's "Food".
* There was an early ''[[Malcolm in
* In ''[[
* Played for laughs in ''[[Wings (TV series)|Wings]]'' when Lowell is telling the guys about his fears that his wife is cheating on him.
{{quote|
'''Brian''': You called her unfaithful?
'''Lowell''': No, I called her unsatiable!
'''Brian''': That's "insatiable". You called her the I word.
'''Lowell''': No, the I word is "indiscreet". }}
* In one episode of ''[[Father Ted]]'', Mrs Doyle has been reading the works of a lady novelist staying at the parochial house and is shocked by the language. She refers to "the F-word", but this being ''[[Father Ted]]'' has to clarify "The ''bad'' F-word. Not feck. Worse than feck."
* Subverted in ''[[That '70s Show]]''.
{{quote|
* Played with in ''[[
{{quote|
* In the British TV series ''Ultraviolet'', it looks like a vampire and drinks blood like a vampire, but the word vampire is never used. Instead, they're referred to as "Code fives" (as in V, the Roman numeral for five).
* From the ''[[Community]]'' episode "[[Community
* In an episode of ''[[The Charmings]]'', Snow White is upset that her husband used "the F-word" in front of the kids... but since the Charmings come from a [[Sugar Bowl]], the F-word in this case is "fiddlesticks".
* One episode of Outnumbered features a conversation which goes something like this:
{{quote|
Sue (to Pete): "What's the K word?"
Pete: "I think it's a misspelling." }}
* In [[Roseanne]], Becky is sent home crying by her [[Jerkass]] boss, and her father and boyfriend find out that he called her a particularly nasty word. Her brother DJ pesters them over it, asking if it was "the b-word," "the f-word," or "the l-word." (He then admits he doesn't even know what "the f-word" is after being asked what "the l-word" is). {{spoiler|And it's heavily implied Becky was called "the c-word."}}
== Music ==
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* Kevin Fowler's ''I Feel Like Pound Sign''. The whole song is about how he's upset, but he's sensoring himself in case any [[Think of the Children|"little ears"]] are around.
* [[Bowling for Soup]] has a breakup song, entitled "A Friendly Goodbye," where the chorus is a string of these because the narrator's soon-to-be-ex hates cursing:
{{quote|
== Newspaper Comics ==
* ''[[The Far Side]]'' has a joke about "the D-word" in a MENSA convention. It's "duh".
* In one arc in [[Bloom County]], the Bloom Picayune decides to do a frank, honest article about AIDS. The first draft, submitted by the obviously-nervous editor, is ''full'' of T-words.
{{quote|
'''Milo Bloom''': You're waffling. }}
** In another, the characters have been informed that they must refrain from using the "14-letter 'S' word." It turns out to be "Snugglebunnies."
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*** Which is ''horribly'' offsensive because, as everyone knows, there's a ''huge'' difference between a [[Grammar Nazi|gerund and a present participle]], whether they look alike or not!
* A ''[[One Big Happy]]'' strip has Ruthie tattle on Joe about name-calling, except that the letters used as euphemisms aren't the usual suspects so the parents aren't sure what the uncensored words are supposed to be. Joe still gets sent to his room.
== Radio ==
* An inversion by Jeremy Hardy during his first appearance on ''[[I'm Sorry I Haven't a
== Other ==
* The
* Also, in regards to "fuck", the [[Precision F
== Theater ==
* From ''[[Gilbert and Sullivan|HMS Pinafore]]'':
{{quote|
** What, never?
** No, never!
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* ''[[Zombie Prom]]'': "She said the C word! The really bad one! Rhymes with 'map'!"
* In ''[[Pygmalion]]'', housekeeper Mrs Pearce reprimands Professor Higgins for setting a bad example to Eliza:
{{quote|
* In the 2006 London Royal Variety Performance [[Avenue Q]] portion, Mrs. Thistletwat comes on after It Sucks to be Me is played and yells this:
{{quote|
== Video Games ==
* ''[[Sam and Max]] -- The Penal Zone'':
{{quote|
'''Max''': How many times have I told you not to use the "b-word", Sam? }}
* In ''[[
{{quote|
* In ''[[Time Crisis]] 4'' (arcade), there is a sequence where you continually (more or less) shoot at a boss while he is wrestling with an ally. As usual, you are being debriefed on the situation by another ally who is speaking to you via intercom. (This is basically narration of the game script, which is also displayed at the bottom of the screen.) For whatever reason, she decides to name the wrestling moves used by the boss. After a few ordinary examples, the script comes up "F---!" at the bottom of the screen - ''and she actually yells out, "Eff!"''
== Webcomics ==
* ''[[Sluggy Freelance]]'': "F-word!" [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20061107 (1)], [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20080924 (2)].
** In a very early strip, Bun-Bun is very sensitive to the word [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/970901 "neutered".]
** [http://www.sluggy.com/comics/archives/daily/20150417 "The J-word?!?"]
== Web Original ==
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* One of [[Uncyclopedia]]'s category templates links to a whole alphabet of these.
* Subverted in ''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KosmfderQq8&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL Treasure Chest]'' a Filmcow short. "You really F-ed up this time... and F stands for Fuck!"
* ''[[That Wacky Redhead]]'' never refers to "[[The Vietnam War|the V-word]]" explicitly, as part of an [[In
== Western Animation ==
* The ''[[Futurama]]'' episode "War is the H-Word":
{{quote|
** Antiquing?
* From the first episode of ''[[The Venture Brothers]]'':
{{quote|
'''Dean'''': "Hank! You said the double-D word!" }}
* In'' [[The Simpsons]]'' episode "Bart Star" (after Homer announces that Bart will be the new quarterback, replacing the far more talented Nelson):
{{quote|
'''Nelson''': I won't give you a "B", but I'll tear ya a new "A"! }}
* ''[[South Park]]'':
{{quote|
'''Sharon:''' * GASP* ''You said the '''c-word!!''''' }}
** The episode "You Got F'd in the A" has the trope right in the title. It's used in the dialogue as well.
* ''[[Family Guy]]''
{{quote|
'''Stewie''': What does ''that'' have to do with anything?
'''Brian''': No, I mean cancer.
'''Stewie''': Oh, oh! Cancer, oh no! }}
* ''[[Regular Show]]'': "How in the ''H'' are we gonna fix this ''S''?" ''H'' is a recurring one.
* [[
== Real Life ==
* Far too many examples to count.
* [[Older Than Feudalism]]: Authors not wishing to take God's name in vain (from the idea of [http://www.jewfaq.org/name.htm the Ineffable Name])
* A common household censorship rule imposed by parents who forbid their children from using offensive language, when extended to non-swearword insults however this
* In politics during the late 1980s, tax was often referred to as the T-word.
* In economics, ''The Economist's'' informal, quarterly [https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2011/09/16/gauging-the-gloom R-word index] tracks the number of newspaper articles that use the word "recession". While not foolproof as a predictive tool, its creators insist that it boasts a decent record.
* In certain academic contexts, the T-word was Thesis.
* The word "effing" in the term "effing and jeffing" (British slang for a [[Cluster F
* Subverted occasionally by using the phrase "The fuck word" as in "his mom is mad at him for using the fuck word in front of guests."
{{reflist}}
[[Category:These Tropes Should Watch Their Language]]
[[Category:Dialogue]]
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[[Category:Language Tropes]]
[[Category:This Trope Name References Itself]]
▲[[Category:Trope]]
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