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Letters in offensive words are often removed to make words less offensive, like f----ed, or n-gger. (Though this isn't just for offensive words—see G-d).

What is the best typographic punctuation for the dash? A standard -, or an en-dash (–), or an em-dash (or dashes) for multiple dashes (e.g. f——d)?

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  • I usually see asterisks in place of letters rather than dashes as in "f**k you", "sh*t" and "c**k sucker" Each asterisk substitutes a letter.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented May 1, 2014 at 15:16
  • The G-d format is common among religious Jews to avoid spelling out the name. I think Mari-Lou A is right on about * for swear words in general.
    – virmaior
    Commented May 1, 2014 at 15:20
  • I wouldn't suggest an em-dash, as that is usually used between words and surrounded by spaces, but I don't think there are any set rules for this. I would suggest using one replacement character for every replaced letter, as that makes it clearer what you would have written - had you written it fully.
    – frances
    Commented May 1, 2014 at 15:20

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Usually, asterisks are used. A single asterisk replaces a single character. Censor everything after and including the first vowel.

f***

Or simply censor the first vowel.

f*ck

I personally prefer the former.

Alternatively, one could use grawlixes, or assorted special characters

f@#!

This is most often used in cartoons.

There is also, leet speak. This is most common on the internet. In this case, one finds a similar looking special character to a letter of an offensive word.

Shit
$#!+

Personally, I have never seen any form of hyphen or dash used.

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  • At one time, the dash was in common use for this purpose. For instance, my copy of Tobias Smollett's Roderick Random (first published in 1748) is full of em dashes, e.g. d—d for damned.
    – Erik Kowal
    Commented May 2, 2014 at 11:10
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It's a matter of choice.

The AP style guide recommends hyphens

If a full quote that contains an obscenity, profanity, of vulgarity cannot be dropped but there is no compelling reason for the offensive language, replace the letter of the offensive word with hyphens, using only an initial letter. In some stories or scripts, it may be better to replace the offensive word with a generic descriptive in parenthesis, e.g. (vulgarity) or (obscenity).

American Journalism Review claims that AP used 5 hyphens for the 2011 play "The Motherf----- With The Hat". However that AJR article uses em dashes itself, and the Chicago Manual of Style also recommends the em dash without having a formal rule (the recommendations is in an FAQ post).

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  • The API Style Guide citation has in the original accidentally written of vulgarity where it meant or vulgarity. You might want to correct it in brackets?
    – tchrist ♦
    Commented Apr 23, 2023 at 17:23
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I have frequently seen an asterisk used, f**k or f***ed, and I've rarely, if ever seen any kind of dash. Someone else could possibly tell you how many asterisks are required. But to be very boring, it all depends on context. The n word is almost always offensive whether said or implied: it is the concept that is offensive not purely the word.

I have used various techniques to diminish the offensiveness of an offensive word, and one of the best, i.e. if you really think that your text must omit these words, is taken from "Blazing Saddles," i.e. "The sheriff is a," the train whistle drowned his final word.

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    You can't assert that some words are always offensive. It depends entirely on context.
    – user24964
    Commented May 1, 2014 at 16:12

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