I'll be darned
4
9.9
- idiom
- Informal
- Well, I'll be darned, I never thought I would see you here!
Examples
-
Well, I'll be darned.
-
- Well, I'll be darned.
-
When she won the lottery again, I said, 'I'll be darned!'
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After hearing his amazing story, I couldn't help but exclaim, 'I'll be darned!'
Synonyms
∞
8.9
An angry or surprised question showing you do not believe something
239
7.4
An informal word that makes a feeling stronger, for example very tired
200
9.7
A strong expression showing anger, surprise, or urgency
147
8.9
A short cry to show surprise, confusion, disbelief, or casual acceptance
112
9.9
A short phrase people say to show surprise or confusion
80
2.6
Words people say when they are surprised to see something
62
6.7
A word people say when they feel annoyed or surprised
50
9.9
An expression of strong surprise or refusal to do something
35
9.6
To say when you are very surprised or shocked
6
7.7
A short phrase people say to show surprise, shock, or admiration
1
9.9
You say this when you are very surprised and do not believe something
1
9.0
A short word people say to show mild anger, surprise, or frustration
1
9.9
A strong spoken reaction showing surprise and disbelief
1
9.9
A short word said to show surprise or mild anger
1
9.9
An informal phrase people say to show surprise or disbelief
1
9.9
A short phrase people say when they feel surprised or do not believe something
How Surprised
- Offensive
1
9.9
- NSFW
50
9.9
- Informal
4
9.9
182
7.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is an idiomatic exclamation meaning surprise or disbelief that cannot be derived from the literal parts 'I will be' + 'darned'. 'Darned' here is a euphemistic intensifier rather than a concrete state, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words would not reliably infer the idiomatic exclamatory meaning without prior exposure.
Etymology
I'll be darned comes from a polite change of the stronger phrase 'I'll be damned', where people swapped the swear word for the milder 'darned' so they would not offend. That's why today it is used to show 'surprise' or 'disbelief' without sounding rude.