damn

[ dam ]

/ dæm /

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See synonyms for: damn / damned / damner / damnest on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to declare (something) to be bad, unfit, invalid, or illegal.

to condemn as a failure: to damn a play.

to bring condemnation upon; ruin.

to doom to eternal punishment or condemn to hell.

to swear at or curse, using the word “damn”: Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

verb (used without object)

to use the word “damn”; swear.

interjection

(used as an expletive to express anger, annoyance, disgust, etc.)

noun

the utterance of “damn” in swearing or for emphasis.

something of negligible value: not worth a damn.

adjective

damned (defs. 2, 3).

adverb

damned.

OTHER WORDS FOR damn

2 berate, censure, denounce, disparage, blast.

See synonyms for damn on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about damn

damn well, Informal. damned (def. 7).

damn with faint praise, to praise so moderately as, in effect, to condemn: The critic damned the opera with faint praise when he termed the production adequate.

give a damn, Informal. to care; be concerned; consider as important: You shouldn't give a damn about their opinions.Also give a darn.

Origin of damn

1250–1300; Middle English dam(p)nen<Old French dam(p)ner<Latin damnāre to condemn, derivative of damnum damage, fine, harm

OTHER WORDS FROM damn

damner, nounpre·damn, verb (used with object)

Words nearby damn

Damien, Damietta, daminozide, dammar, dammit, damn, damnable, damnably, damnation, damnatory, damned

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use damn in a sentence

It will be damn near impossible for any senior leaders to get their arms around the problem of extremists in the military as long as the Defense Department has so little data on how many service members have ties to domestic terrorist groups.
The Pentagon is taking a major step to deal with its diversity problems|Alex Ward|February 12, 2021|Vox
Still, there are days when I can’t find the motivation—when it’s so damn cold that running would be pure misery.
5 Pieces of Gear That Help Me Stay Active During Winter|Jakob Schiller|February 11, 2021|Outside Online
Ditching the sidearms is more than just a shtick—it’s pretty damn smart.
Ombraz's Armless Sunglasses Are a Mixed Bag|Graham Averill|January 22, 2021|Outside Online
If Modi asked his Brad Raffensperger to “find 11,780 votes,” he damn well would.
Save the Sarcasm for Other Democracies. America Is Fine|Debasish Roy Chowdhury|January 11, 2021|Time

The existence of damning evidence — video footage, for example — can drive some resolutions.
These are the police misconduct lawsuits the public hears little about|Paul Schwartzman|December 25, 2020|Washington Post
But damn, the music is catchy—a neo-soul aural assault of horns, electro swirls, yelps, funky basslines, and harmonized vocals.
The 14 Best Songs of 2014: Bobby Shmurda, Future Islands, Drake, and More|Marlow Stern|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They even released a (pretty damn weak) hip-hop song on SoundCloud recounting their antics.
The Attack on the Hidden Internet|Marc Rogers|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He had just as much right to be there as any other damn body.
How Martin Luther King Jr. Influenced Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’|Peter Guralnick|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Alongside YOLO, “same damn time” is one of the most memorable recent additions to the lexicon.
Future Makes Us Rethink Everything We Thought We Knew About Rap Artists|Luke Hopping|December 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Hitch knows damn well that Redford gets pretty much anything he wants.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days|David Freeman|December 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As young Mr. Hutchinson went out by the back way he heard someone say: "Damn him, he's upstairs, we'll have him yet."
The Eve of the Revolution|Carl Becker
But damn it, man, those units cost something like eighty thousand dollars!
We're Friends, Now|Henry Hasse
How can we face without fear, a God whom we suppose sufficiently barbarous to wish to damn us forever?
Superstition In All Ages (1732)|Jean Meslier
"I wadna' gi'e a damn," said Peter Pegg, his big eye making frantic efforts to wink.
The Underworld|James C. Welsh
Very amusing how the reviews pick out one story and damn the rest!
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson - Swanston Edition Vol. 25 (of 25)|Robert Louis Stevenson

British Dictionary definitions for damn

damn

/ (dæm) /

interjection

slang an exclamation of annoyance (often in exclamatory phrases such as damn it! damn you! etc)

informal an exclamation of surprise or pleasure (esp in the exclamatory phrase damn me!)

adjective

(prenominal) slang deserving damnation; detestable

adverb, adjective (prenominal)

slang (intensifier)damn fool; a damn good pianist

adverb

damn all slang absolutely nothing

verb (mainly tr)

to condemn as bad, worthless, etc

to curse

to condemn to eternal damnation

(often passive) to doom to ruin; cause to failthe venture was damned from the start

(also intr) to prove (someone) guiltydamning evidence

to swear (at) using the word damn

as near as damn it British informal as near as possible; very near

damn with faint praise to praise so unenthusiastically that the effect is condemnation

noun

slang something of negligible value; jot (esp in the phrase not worth a damn)

not give a damn informal to be unconcerned; not care

Word Origin for damn

C13: from Old French dampner, from Latin damnāre to injure, condemn, from damnum loss, injury, penalty

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with damn

damn

In addition to the idioms beginning with damn

damned if I do, damned if I don't
damn well
damn with faint praise

also see:

do one's damnedest
give a damn
not worth a dime (tinker's damn)

damn

OTHER WORDS FOR damn

Idioms about damn

Origin of damn

OTHER WORDS FROM damn

Words nearby damn

Words related to damn

How to use damn in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for damn

Word Origin for damn

Other Idioms and Phrases with damn