Ofcom (UK TV regulator) Swear Word Rankings

Contains words which some people may find offensive.

Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, has unveiled a study showing that public attitudes towards swearing have become more relaxed in the past six years, with researchers concluding that the public are “more likely to tolerate swearing on TV and radio provided it reflects ‘real world’ situations and is set in the right context”.

The research project, which is carried out every five to six years, helps inform Ofcom’s response to complaints from viewers about bad language in television programmes and on the radio.

The first study of audience attitudes from the broadcasting regulator since 2010, revealed racist or discriminatory words were considered to be harder hitting and carry more emotional impact than ‘general’ swear words.

So Ofcom has ranked every swear word in the English language in order of offensiveness.

After interviewing over 200 people in the UK on how offensive they find swear words Ofcom concluded their list and ranked the swear words as either mild, medium, strong or strongest.

Here’s what Ofcom found, in the ‘general swear words’ category:

Mild Swear Words

Arse
Bloody
Bugger
Cow
Crap
Damn
Ginger
Git
God
Goddam
Jesus Christ
Minger
Sod-off
Medium Swear Words

Arsehole
Balls
Bint
Bitch
Bollocks
Bullshit
Feck
Munter
Pissed/pissed off
Shit
Son of a bitch
Tits
Strong Swear Words

Bastard
Beaver
Beef curtains
Bellend
Bloodclaat
Clunge
Cock
Dick
Dickhead
Fanny
Flaps
Gash
Knob
Minge
Prick
Punani
Pussy
Snatch
Twat
Strongest Swear Words

C**t
F**k
Motherf**ker