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damndest

damndest

4 8.6
A great effort to try as hard as possible
  • noun
  • /ˈdæmndɪst/
  • NSFW
translation icon : esfuerzo máximo
  • And he will do his damndest to put your mind at rest.
  • try their damndest

Examples

  • I'm going to do my damndest to do the same.

    Blog text (13)
  • I was an emotional wreck inside, but trying my damndest to hold it together for everyone else.

    Blog text (31)
  • It's like the city is doing their damndest to tell the whole world.

    Blog text (27)
  • Or at least that they will try their damndest to fight for these issues even if they fail.

    Blog text (6)
  • I try my damndest to be as civil as I can in all my posts.

    Blog text (7)
  • I will do my damndest to get them thinking straight up front, but if I fail, I'm handing them over to you.

    Academic text (2009)
  • CAFO owners have done their damndest to keep their operations from public and government scrutiny.

    Blog text (9)
  • There's a revolution taking place, and the media is doing its damndest to bury it.

    Blog text (33)
  • Congressional Republicans have done their damndest to stonewall him.

    Blog text (22)
  • He will do his damndest to finish the project on time.

Synonyms

best effort
vsdamndest
22 2.4

A strong attempt someone makes to succeed at something

is an informal emphatic expression rather than neutral wording
damnedest
vsdamndest
  • NSFW
7 9.1

A very strong effort that someone makes to do something

is the informal emphatic form stressing very hard trying
darndest
vsdamndest
  • Informal
1 9.1

To try as hard as possible

is used informally to stress trying extremely hard
darnedest
vsdamndest
  • Informal
7.8

To try very hard to do something

is similar but usually without the joking tone
darnedest effort
vsdamndest
  • Informal
7.5

The hardest effort someone can give

is an informal emphatic phrase that stresses trying hard

Antonyms

43 6.2

A lack of interest or care about things

30 1.4

A tendency to avoid work and use little energy

How Hard

damndest
  • NSFW
4 8.6
to give one's all
  • Informal
3.8
try
  • Specialized
423 1.0

Surface Forms

damndest singular
damndests plural

Morphology

damndest = damned (semi-transparent) = damn + ed + est

Built as the superlative of 'damned' (damned + -est) and used idiomatically in phrases like 'do my damnedest' to mean 'greatest possible effort', so the morphological link is visible but the sense is idiomatic.

Etymology

Damndest (as in 'do your damndest') also comes from damn + -est, meaning 'the most' or 'very much'. That's why to do your damndest is to try with all your strength or 'try very hard'.