damn

1 of 3

verb

ˈdam 

damned; damning ˈda-miŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to condemn to a punishment or fate

especially : to condemn to hell

2

a

: to condemn vigorously and often irascibly for some real or fancied fault or defect

damned the storm for their delay

b

: to condemn as a failure by public criticism

3

: to bring ruin on

4

: to swear at : curse

—often used to express annoyance, disgust, or surprise

damn him, he should have been careful

I'll be damned

intransitive verb

: curse, swear

damn

2 of 3

noun

1

: the utterance of the word damn as a curse

2

: a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit

don't give a damn

damn

3 of 3

adjective or adverb

: damned

a damn nuisance

ran damn fast

Phrases

damn well

: beyond doubt or question : certainly

knew damn well what would happen

Synonyms

Verb

• curse

Noun

• beans
• bubkes
• bupkes
• bupkus
• continental
• darn
• durn
• diddly [slang]
• diddly-squat [slang]
• doodley-squat
• doodly-squat
• fig
• ghost
• hoot
• iota
• jot
• lick
• modicum
• rap
• squat [slang]
• syllable
• tittle
• whit
• whoop

Adjective or adverb

• absolute
• all-out
• arrant
• blank
• blooming [chiefly British]
• bodacious [Southern & Midland]
• categorical
• categoric
• clean
• complete
• consummate
• crashing
• damned
• dead
• deadly
• definite
• downright
• dreadful
• fair
• flat
• flat-out
• out-and-out
• outright
• perfect
• plumb
• profound
• pure
• rank
• regular
• sheer
• simple
• stark
• stone
• straight-out
• thorough
• thoroughgoing
• total
• unadulterated
• unalloyed
• unconditional
• unmitigated
• unqualified
• utter
• very

Examples of damn in a Sentence

Verb

But it is functional talk for the purpose of conveying information, not, as often in the case of Waugh, for entertaining his audience, humdrum veracity be damned. —Robert Murray Davis, Commonweal, 5 June 2009

Congress demanded an immediate investigation and over the next year held dramatic hearings, launched a variety of inquests, and produced several pounds of reports that condemned FEMA. One report damned the agency as a dumping ground for political appointees … —Christopher Cooper & Robert Block, Disaster, 2006

No American war has been more roundly damned than the Mexican. Within months after its outbreak Whigs and abolitionists accused Polk of plotting the ambush on the Rio Grande and misrepresenting the facts in order to stampede the nation into a war of conquest … —Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997

He damned them for their stupidity.

damned the car for once again breaking down

Noun

I don't want to hear about your problems—I just don't give a damn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Such chimerical ideologies would damn the populations of the region to many more years of violence and cruelty. —Ziad Asali, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2024

The Justice Department’s report adds to a growing body of findings damning the slow and chaotic actions of responding officers who lacked training and a clear command structure. —Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC News, 18 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun, and Adjective or adverb

Middle English dampnen, from Anglo-French dampner, from Latin damnare, from damnum damage, loss, fine

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective Or Adverb

circa 1708, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing damn

• as near as damn it
• care a damn
• damn it
• damn near
• damn right
• damn well
• damn with faint praise
• give a damn
• give a tinker's damn
• not mean a damn
• not worth a damn
• tinker's damn
• whatever one damn/damned well pleases
• worth a tinker's damn

Kids Definition

damn

1 of 2 verb

ˈdam 

1

: to condemn to a punishment or fate

especially : to condemn to hell

2

: to condemn as bad or as a failure

3

: to swear at : curse

damn

2 of 2 noun

1

: the saying of the word damn as a curse

2

: the least bit

not worth a damn