What does "damn" mean?
The word "damn" employed as a curse.
Damn
/dæm/ adj, adv, intj, noun, verb
adj, adv, intj, noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The word "damn" employed as a curse.
- Grammar: damn is listed as adj, adv, intj, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn.
- Useful contrasts: admirable, applaud, approve.
- Usage evidence: I don't give a damn about poetry.
How to use "damn"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "damn" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "damn" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "damn" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "damn" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "damn" is acting as adj, adv, intj, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a continental" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "damn", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The word "damn" employed as a curse. sometimes, vulgar
"He said a few damns and left."
- 2 Abbreviation of diaminomaleonitrile. abbreviation, alt-of, uncountable
"Several nitrogen heterocycles, including imidazoles,¹⁻³ pyrazines,⁴ and diazepines,^(1, 3) have been prepared from diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN, 1), the tetramer of hydrogen cyanide."
- 3 something of little value wordnet
- 4 A small, negligible quantity, being of little value; a whit or jot. sometimes, vulgar
"The new hires aren't worth a damn."
- 5 Acronym of distributed architecture for mobile navigation. abbreviation, acronym, alt-of, uncountable
"The Distributed Architecture for Mobile Navigation (DAMN) has been successfully used to integrate various independently developed subsystems, providing systems that perform road following, cross-country navigation, or teleoperation while avoiding obstacles and meeting mission objectives."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 The smallest amount of concern or consideration. sometimes, vulgar
"I don't give a damn."
Verb
- 1 To condemn. intransitive, transitive
"The official position is that anyone who does this will be damned for all eternity."
- 2 wish harm upon; invoke evil upon wordnet
- 3 To condemn; to declare guilty; to doom; to adjudge to punishment.
"He shall not live; look, with a spot I damn him."
- 4 To put out of favor; to ruin; to label negatively.
"I’m afraid that if I speak out on this, I’ll be damned as a troublemaker."
- 5 To condemn as unfit, harmful, invalid, immoral or illegal.
"1708 November 8, Alexander Pope, letter to Henry Cromwell You are not so arrant a critic as to damn them [the works of modern poets] […] without hearing."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To curse; put a curse upon. sometimes, vulgar
"That man stole my wallet. Damn him!"
- 7 To invoke damnation; to curse. archaic
"c. 1767-1774, Oliver Goldsmith, letter to Mrs. Bunbury […] while I inwardly damn."
Adjective
- 1 Generic intensifier. Fucking; bloody. not-comparable, sometimes, vulgar
"Shut the damn door!"
Adjective
- 1 expletives used informally as intensifiers wordnet
- 2 used as expletives wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Very; extremely. not-comparable, sometimes, vulgar
"That car was going damn fast!"
Adverb
- 1 extremely wordnet
Intj
- 1 Used to express anger, irritation, disappointment, annoyance, contempt or surprise, etc. See also dammit. sometimes, vulgar
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I don't give a damn about poetry."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "damn"?
Common synonyms include: a continental, a curse, a damn, a darn, a hoot, abominate.
How do you use "damn" in a sentence?
I don't give a damn about poetry.
How do you pronounce "damn"?
Pronounced /dæm/.
Etymology
From Middle English dampnen, from Old French damner, from Latin damnāre (“to condemn, inflict loss upon”), from damnum (“loss”).