slurred; slurring
: to slip so as to cause a slur
—used of a sheet being printed
slurred; slurring
1
a
: to slide or slip over without due mention, consideration, or emphasis
slurred over certain facts
b
: to perform hurriedly : skimp
let him not slur his lesson—
R. W. Emerson
R. W. Emerson2
: to perform (successive tones of different pitch) in a smooth or connected manner
3
a
: to reduce, make a substitution for, or omit (sounds that would normally occur in an utterance)
b
: to utter with such reduction, substitution, or omission of sounds
his speech was slurred
Synonyms
Examples of slur in a Sentence
Noun (1)
a rowdy group of patrons was kicked out of the theater for shouting slurs
your drunken behavior at the wedding has cast a slur on this family
Recent Examples on the WebSamantha Allen, Them, 8 July 2024
Ryan Garcia has issued a public apology after going on an explosive tirade on social media that included racial slurs aimed at Black people and hate speech targeting members of the Islamic community.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 July 2024
Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Luckily, one of my brothers was having breakfast with her that morning and, noticing that her speech was becoming slurred, rushed her to the emergency room.
—Charles Blow, The Mercury News, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for slur 
Noun
The House of the Dragon actress received a hateful direct message containing a racist slur that insulted her appearance and openly wished for her death.
—Samantha Allen, Them, 8 July 2024
Ryan Garcia has issued a public apology after going on an explosive tirade on social media that included racial slurs aimed at Black people and hate speech targeting members of the Islamic community.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 July 2024
Verb
When Fetterman emerged from the bathroom, Gisele noticed that his words were slurred and his face was drooping.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024
Luckily, one of my brothers was having breakfast with her that morning and, noticing that her speech was becoming slurred, rushed her to the emergency room.
—Charles Blow, The Mercury News, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for slur
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near slur
Cite this Entry
“Slur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slur. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
slur
2 of 4 noun1
a
: a curved line connecting notes to be sung or played without a break
b
: the combination of two or more slurred tones
2
: a slurring manner of speech
slur
4 of 4 noun1
a
: damaging criticism
2
: a blurred spot in printed matter : smudge
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