Skip to main content
lordy

lordy

17 9.4
A short informal cry showing surprise or strong feeling
  • interjection
  • /ˈlɔrdi/
  • Informal
translation icon : Dios mío
  • Oh, good lordy, what a day.
  • Oh lordy
  • Lordy, yes
  • Lordy mercy

God damn goodness gracious me, my heavens, lordy me.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • "Oh, lordy, what's that you've got there?" Gracie said, and brought the lantern.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Oh, lordy, I warned you Gypsy Mess has a way of sucking you in!

    Blog text (6)
  • Oh lordy, that is really nice and fun.

  • Oh, lordy, I am hit!

  • Lordy, lordy, this is the day.

  • Oh, Lordy, this is bad.

  • Lordy, lordy, why they call this a shortcut, I'll never know.

  • Oh, my lordy, are you just naturally that ignorant, or do you have to work at it?

    Blog text (7)
  • Oh, Lordy, help me!

  • lordy, I can't believe how beautiful it is!

Synonyms

hoo
vslordy
  • Informal
359 9.9

A shout people make to show excitement or surprise

is broader and often used as a simple surprised word
hah
vslordy
  • Informal
76 4.6

A short laugh showing surprise or small victory

is more focused on surprise and strong emotion
holy shit
vslordy
  • Offensive
26 9.9

A strong phrase people say when they are very surprised or shocked

is similar in shock but far less offensive
ahh
vslordy
24 7.9

A short cry people make when they feel sudden pain or shock

is used more for general strong emotion than physical pain
golly
vslordy
  • Archaic
24 9.9

A word people say to show mild surprise

is similar but more informal and modern
ooooh
vslordy
  • Informal
16 8.3

A short sound people say to show surprise or excitement

is similar but usually shorter and punchier
fucking hell
vslordy
  • Offensive
14 9.9

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

shares shock but is much less vulgar and intense
yow
vslordy
  • Informal
13 9.9

A short cry said to show surprise, excitement, or sudden pain

is more about general surprise and less about pain
goodness me
vslordy
  • Archaic
9 7.7

A short phrase people say to show surprise, shock, or admiration

is more informal and emotionally direct
goddam
vslordy
  • Offensive
9 9.9

Adds strong anger or surprise to what you say

shares emphasis but is far more polite and mild
oooh
vslordy
  • Informal
7 9.1

A short sound people make when they feel a quick pain

is mainly for emotional surprise rather than pain
goodness gracious
vslordy
  • Archaic
5 7.5

A short phrase people say to show surprise or shock

is more casual and shorter in everyday speech
gawd
vslordy
  • Slang
4 9.9

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

is similar but uses a more playful or old-fashioned feel
yipe
vslordy
  • Informal
4 8.9

A short sharp cry showing surprise, fear, or excitement

is alike but usually more drawn out and emphatic
blimey
vslordy
  • UK
4 9.5

A short word people say when they are surprised or shocked

is comparable but leans more American and playful
ohhhh
vslordy
  • Informal
3 8.4

A short sound people make when they suddenly understand something

is used more for raw emotional reaction than thought
holy crap
vslordy
  • Offensive
3 9.6

To say when you are very surprised or shocked

is similar in meaning but uses milder language
holy moley
vslordy
  • Informal
2 9.6

A short surprised phrase people say when they are shocked

is like that but often shorter and catchier
whammo
vslordy
  • Informal
2 9.9

A short shout showing sudden surprise or strong impact

is used for surprise without the sense of physical impact
oho
vslordy
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A short cry showing surprise or sudden understanding

is more current and used for raw emotional reaction
oh my gosh
vslordy
  • Informal
2 7.0

To show surprise, shock or disbelief in a mild, polite way

is similar but feels more folksy and exclamatory
aagh
vslordy
  • Informal
1 9.9

A short cry people make when they are suddenly scared

is similar but often calmer and less fearful
begod
vslordy
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A short old word people say to show surprise or strong feeling

is informal but more modern and lighthearted
crikey
vslordy
  • UK
1 9.9

A short informal word people say to show surprise or shock

is similar but slightly softer and less regional
yike
vslordy
  • Informal
1 9.9

A short word people say to show surprise, discomfort, or embarrassment

is similar but tends to convey more astonished feeling
strewth
vslordy
  • Archaic
1 9.9

An old-fashioned word said to show surprise or strong feeling

is like that but more alive in modern speech
oh my lanta
vslordy
  • Slang
9.9

A short phrase people say when they feel surprised or do not believe something

is similar but sounds slightly more old-fashioned
oh my heck
vslordy
  • Informal
9.9

A short phrase people say when they feel surprised or do not believe something

is alike but more colloquial and less softened language
bejeezus
vslordy
  • Informal
9.9

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

is similar but more neutral and less oathlike
holy shamoley
vslordy
  • Slang
9.9

A short shout to show surprise or amazement

is similar but often used with a slightly different rhythm
to OMG
vslordy
  • Slang
8.3

To say or write a short exclamation to show surprise

is similar but usually spoken and more old-fashioned
yipes
vslordy
  • Informal
9.9

A short cry of sudden surprise or fear

covers surprise broadly rather than sudden alarm specifically
zowie
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

A short shout people use to show surprise or excitement, often in a playful way

is similar but more commonly used in casual speech
whillikers
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

A word people used long ago to show surprise

is similar but more current and casual
jeepers
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

An old-fashioned word people say to show surprise

is similar but less quaint and more conversational
damme
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

An old word that people say to show surprise or strong feeling

is informal but more commonly used today
bejabbers
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

An old word people say to show surprise or strong feeling

is more neutral and less theatrical in tone
blessed
vslordy
  • Informal
6.1

Often comes before a word to show anger or surprise

is more playful and expressive rather than substitutive
mercy sake's alive
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

A short cry of surprise when something is hard to believe

is similar but shorter and less regionally marked
swounds
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

An old word people say to show surprise, anger, or shock

is modern and informal rather than archaic
ecky thump
vslordy
  • Archaic
9.9

A short shout showing surprise or disbelief

is more general and widely understood outside that region
orh hor
vslordy
  • Informal
9.9

A short word people say to show playful surprise or mild shock

is stronger and more emphatic in ordinary exclamations

Surface Forms

lordy main

Morphology

lordy = lord (transparent) = lord + y

Formed from 'lord' + the familiar suffix '-y' producing a vocative/exclamatory form, so learners who know 'lord' can infer its use as an exclamation.

Etymology

Lordy comes from using Lord as a short exclamation ('Oh Lord') with the small ending -y added to make it more informal. So people say lordy to show surprise, shock, or a strong feeling.