darn

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈdärn 

darned; darning; darns

transitive verb

1

: to mend with interlacing stitches

2

: to embroider by filling in with long running or interlacing stitches

intransitive verb

: to do darning

darner noun

darn

2 of 5

noun (1)

: a place that has been darned

a sweater full of darns

darn

3 of 5

adjective or adverb

ˈdärn 

variants or less commonly durn

ˈdərn 

: damned

darn

4 of 5

verb (2)

variants or less commonly durn

darned also durned

: damn

darned

ˈdärn(d) 

adjective or adverb

or less commonly durned

ˈdərn(d) 

darn

5 of 5

noun (2)

variants or less commonly durn

: damn

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• sew
• stitch
• suture

Adjective or adverb

• accursed
• accurst
• blasted
• confounded
• cursed
• curst
• cussed
• damnable
• dang
• danged
• darned
• durned
• deuced
• doggone
• doggoned
• freaking
• infernal

Noun (2)

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

Examples of darn in a Sentence

Verb (1)

in the old days, holes in socks had to be darned by hand

Adjective or adverb

I can't seem to tie this darn shoe

Noun (2)

nobody gave a darn about us when we were poor, but now that we are rich, we have friends we never knew about!

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Fads and fashion be darned; the principles that dictate the propagation of sound waves have existed since the beginning of creation. —Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Mar. 2025

Fifty-six years later, the company is still carrying on that mission and delivering some pretty darned exhilarating performances in the process. —Randy McMullen, The Mercury News, 13 Mar. 2025

Adjective or adverb

And then, four days later, John Daly won the whole darn thing. —Jordan Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 16 May 2025

Another example is turning down your darn smartphone. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps from French dialect darner

Adjective or adverb

euphemism

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1720, in the meaning defined above

Adjective Or Adverb

1781, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing darn

• care a darn
• darn near
• darn well
• give a darn
• not worth a darn

Rhymes for darn

• arn
• barn
• barne
• carn
• garn
• karn
• skarn
• yarn

Kids Definition

darn

1 of 4 verb

ˈdärn 

: to mend with interlacing stitches

darn socks

darn

2 of 4 noun

: a place that has been darned

darn

3 of 4 verb

: damn entry 1 sense 1

darn

ˈdärn

adjective or adverb

or darned

ˈdärn(d)

darn

4 of 4 noun

: damn entry 2 sense 2

not worth a darn