Swearing may not always be polite, but it’s one of the most natural ways we express emotion. Studies have linked cursing to traits like intelligence, honesty, and even a higher pain threshold.
Now, new research from WordTips and Mental Floss, supported by data from the University of Queensland and Monash University, explores how people swear around the world.
By analyzing 1.7 million English-language X posts, researchers identified the most and least profanity-prone nations, though results may lean toward English-speaking countries since non-English posts weren’t included. This global snapshot of swearing shows just how rich and varied human communication can be. What sounds offensive in one country might be harmless banter in another, proving that language is never universal in meaning.
Click through the following gallery to discover which countries curse the most and how profanity shapes identity across cultures.