->''"Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer."''
-->-- '''MarkTwain'''

Precision F-Strike is when a character suddenly swears [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness in an uncharacteristically strong manner]], or when a swear is [[ToneShift unexpectedly used in a work with mild language]]. It's usually intended to show that shit just got real serious.

Another variant is when a movie limits its swearing in order to keep from getting an R rating, and so is forced to place it very strategically. If a movie uses the F word more than two or three times or in a sexual way, it can easily get an R rating. If it's used up to two or three times, each in a non-sexual context, it usually stays PG-13 so long as it lacks any other content that would warrant an R rating. As such, the writers will only have the characters curse when it actually means something.

Also, when UnusualEuphemism is normally in play in a work, having "real" oaths appear can have the same effect.

Due to [[SeparatedByACommonLanguage the nature of language]], this trope is prone to ValuesDissonance about what words are appropriate. [[DidNotDoTheBloodyResearch "Bloody", "cunt", "ass" and "twat"]], just to name a few words, have ''very'' different connotations on the two sides of the Atlantic. [[ForeignCurseWord And that's just the differences within one single language.]] While like many other English words, the word "fucking" exists with only a minor variation in German (''ficken''), it's mainly used as a verb or very strong expletive and seldom as a word for emphasis (except in swearing), which results in quite a number of translations that just [[BlindIdiotTranslation sound weird or like Tourette Syndrome]].

In some languages, however, expletives do not actually exist, or are so uncommonly used and/or offensive that they are not allowed in the media. Seemingly equivalent words may be used similarly, but without the impact of an actual expletive (for example, the direct Japanese equivalent of "shit" (''kuso'') is often used in children's shows by child characters without raising alarm). These languages may have levels of politeness which serve the same purpose (again, Japanese), and translations often take advantage of the dub/sub language's expletives to give the same feeling. For subtitles, this crosses over into SpiceUpTheSubtitles, unless the expletive used by the translator actually is said in the dialogue, [[GratuitousEnglish as is known to happen.]]

This trope is an intersection of {{Sophisticated As Hell}} and ConservationOfNinjitsu; related to OOCIsSeriousBusiness. May overlap with AtomicFBomb for extra emphasis. Compare MinorInsultMeltdown, QuoteSwearUnquote, ThisIsForEmphasisBitch.

Contrast with the ClusterFBomb and {{Gosh Dang It To Heck}}.

Due to the nature of the {{trope}}, the following examples will contain swearing. Please don't be a {{Bluenose|Bowdlerizer}}.
!!Fucking Examples

* PrecisionFStrike/{{Advertising}}
* PrecisionFStrike/AnimeAndManga
* PrecisionFStrike/ComicBooks
* PrecisionFStrike/FanWorks
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Film}}
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Literature}}
* PrecisionFStrike/LiveActionTV
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Machinima}}
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Music}}
* PrecisionFStrike/NewspaperComics
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Pinball}}
* PrecisionFStrike/ProfessionalWrestling
* PrecisionFStrike/StandUp
* PrecisionFStrike/{{Theatre}}
* PrecisionFStrike/VideoGames
* PrecisionFStrike/VisualNovels
* PrecisionFStrike/WebComics
* PrecisionFStrike/WebOriginal
* PrecisionFStrike/WesternAnimation
* PrecisionFStrike/RealLife