# cursed

/ˈkɝst/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cursed
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. under a magic spell

adjective · CEFR B2

suffering from a magic spell or bad luck that causes constant trouble.

For teachers: afflicted by a curse or divine harm; suffering from persistent misfortune perceived as supernatural.

- The old legend says the diamond is cursed and brings bad luck to its owners.
- Local folklore maintains that the castle is cursed, citing a long history of unexplained disappearances and financial ruin for every family that has resided there.

### 2. unsettling or creepy

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

describing something that looks very strange, wrong, or creepy in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable.

For teachers: describing an image, object, or situation that is unsettling, disturbing, or aesthetically 'wrong', often used with dark humor.

- That abandoned playground with the broken dolls has a very cursed energy.
- The internet is full of cursed images that combine everyday objects in ways that feel deeply unnatural and disturbing to the viewer.

Teaching tip: This sense is very common in digital culture and social media; learners should use it to describe things that are 'weirdly wrong' rather than literally magical.

## Examples

- The old house has a cursed feeling.
- I found a cursed image of a cat with human teeth while browsing the internet late at night.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.