If you stub your toe or slam your finger in a door, there’s a good chance the first thing out of your mouth is a four-letter word. But although swearing is a near-universal feature of language, it is still considered taboo by many.

Archived version: https://archive.is/20250305084335/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/03/05/swearing-pain-tolerance-strength-science/