Skip to main content
durned

durned

9.9
A short word said to show surprise or mild anger
  • interjection
  • /dɜrnd/
  • Informal
translation icon : maldito
  • Well, I'll be durned! I never thought she would win the contest.

Examples

  • Durned, I forgot my keys at home again this morning.

  • Well, I'll be durned! I never thought she would win the contest.

  • If that durned dog digs up my garden one more time, I'll be furious.

  • That durned car broke down again!

  • What a durned mess we have here!

  • If that durned dog digs up my garden one more time, I'll be furious.

  • What a durned mess we have here!

Synonyms

heck
vsdurned
  • Informal
422 7.5

A small amount of care or worry about something

is similar but targets a different stronger word to avoid
what the hell
vsdurned
  • NSFW
347 8.9

An angry or surprised question showing you do not believe something

is milder and used to avoid stronger vulgar words
ugh
vsdurned
  • Informal
282 7.9

A short sound people make to show disgust or annoyance

is more about surprise or mild emphasis than expressing disgust
goddamned
vsdurned
  • Offensive
121 9.9

Shows strong anger or annoyance in a rude way

is the milder substitute avoiding offensive or vulgar language
what the heck
vsdurned
  • Informal
90 8.9

A short cry to show surprise, confusion, disbelief, or casual acceptance

is more of a phrase asking why or showing disbelief than anger
for Christ's sake
vsdurned
  • Offensive
65 9.7

A strong expression showing anger, surprise, or urgency

is much less intense and avoids direct religious invocations
darn
vsdurned
  • Informal
62 6.7

A word people say when they feel annoyed or surprised

is a mild substitute used to avoid stronger profanity
goddammit
vsdurned
  • Offensive
50 9.9

A rude strong swear word people say when angry or frustrated

is much milder, used to avoid strong profanity or vulgarity
uhh
vsdurned
  • Informal
34 9.9

A sound people make to show they do not like something that tastes or smells bad

is mainly for surprise or mild annoyance rather than disgust
darned
vsdurned
  • Informal
27 7.4

An informal word that makes a feeling stronger, for example very tired

is used in the same mild, nonserious way for emphasis
darn it
vsdurned
  • Informal
17 8.4

A short phrase people say when they feel frustrated or disappointed

is broader, used also to emphasize annoyance or surprise
fucking hell
vsdurned
  • Offensive
14 9.9

A strong rude shout people use when they feel very angry or shocked

is far milder and used to avoid vulgar or highly offensive language
tut
vsdurned
13 8.8

A quiet sound people make to show mild disapproval or annoyance

is less about surprise and more about mild judgment
goddam
vsdurned
  • Offensive
9 9.9

Adds strong anger or surprise to what you say

is less intense and serves as a mild alternative to harsher expletives
urgh
vsdurned
  • UK
7 9.3

A sound people make to show disgust or annoyance

is less a guttural reaction and more a general mild exclamation
gawd
vsdurned
  • Slang
4 9.9

A short informal word people say when they feel surprise, shock, or annoyance

is similar but often feels more like an altered religious invocation
unh
vsdurned
  • Informal
4 9.9

A short sound you make when you feel pain or are annoyed

is more of an exclamation showing surprise or emphasis not physical pain
egad
vsdurned
  • Archaic
3 9.9

An old word people say to show surprise or shock

is comparable but used more as a mild substitute for strong words
dratted
vsdurned
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A mild word people use to show they are annoyed about something

is used similarly but often without strong anger
deuced
vsdurned
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A word people say before an adjective to show strong annoyance or emphasis

is similar but often softer and more conversational in tone
durn
vsdurned
  • Informal
9.9

Said when you are a little angry, annoyed, or surprised

is used as a mild substitute for a stronger swear word
dern
vsdurned
  • Archaic
9.9

An old word used to show anger or strong dislike

is similar but used more as a mild substitute for stronger swearing
I'll be darned
vsdurned
  • Informal
9.9

A way to say you are surprised or do not believe something

is used more generally for surprise, annoyance, or emphasis
drats
vsdurned
  • Archaic
9.9

A mild, old-fashioned exclamation said when you feel annoyed or disappointed

is the milder tone used instead of a stronger swear
consarned
vsdurned
  • Archaic
9.9

An old mild word people say when they are annoyed

is similar but carries an older, dialectal tone rather than modern use
tarnal
vsdurned
  • Archaic
9.9

Used before a noun to show strong annoyance

is the same mild emphasis but more modern and general in use
gadzooks
vsdurned
  • Archaic
9.9

An old-fashioned shout to show surprise or annoyance

is similar but less likely used in modern casual speech
bejeezus
vsdurned
  • Informal
9.9

A loud informal shout that shows surprise, shock, or strong annoyance

is comparable but often carries a casual, religiously toned emphasis
blessed
vsdurned
  • Informal
6.1

Often comes before a word to show anger or surprise

is typically a mild replacement for harsher expletives in casual talk
goldamned
vsdurned
  • NSFW
9.9

People say this to show annoyance or strong feeling

is similar but generally even less offensive in casual speech
frell
vsdurned
  • NSFW
9.9

Very bad and annoying

is milder in tone and avoids explicit religious or vulgar language

How Emphatic

absolutely
1.0
damned
  • NSFW
300 5.6
durned
  • Informal
9.9
darned
  • Informal
27 7.4
mildly
92 2.7

Surface Forms

durned main

Morphology

durned = durn (opaque) = durn + ed

Although the surface form suggests a regular past-participle adjective, the interjectional use is a fixed euphemistic expletive rather than a fully compositional meaning.

Etymology

Durned as an exclamation comes from the same soft form of damned or darned and works like saying 'well, I'll be damned' but milder. So people say durned to show surprise, annoyance, or emphasis without a strong curse.