to do one's damnedest

Examples

• All

• During the competition, he did his damnedest to outperform his rivals.

• He'll do his damnedest to straighten things out.

  Earthquake (1974)

• And I did my damnedest to help people in need.

  American Fiction (2023)

• Now get out there and do your damnedest!

  The Boy Friend (1971)

• If you hate my life so much, why are you doing your damnedest to make the same mistakes?

  Mermaids (1990)

• Digger and I will do our damnedest to get the money back.

  Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)

• All you have to do is keep your back straight, your words clean, and do your damnedest not to embarrass me.

  Victor Frankenstein (2015)

• Naturally, you'll do your damnedest to get at it.

  Mank (2020)

• I'll do my damnedest to get them to delay the confirmation... ...but I'm gonna need you there to stop it, if Harolds'll talk.

  Good Guys Wear Black (1978)

• Finally, we'll have a Q&A session at the end, where you can ask your most pressing questions, and we will do our damnedest to answer them.

  Blog text (1)

Synonyms

G

to go all out

vsto do one's damnedest

39 4.1

To try as hard as you can with a lot of energy

is comparable but often feels more bluntly determined

G

to go to great lengths

vsto do one's damnedest

26 4.1

Try very hard to make something happen

focuses more narrowly on extreme immediate effort rather than range

W

to work one's ass off

vsto do one's damnedest

• Offensive

13 8.4

Try very hard for a long time to do something

focuses more on intense single efforts rather than long hard work

M

to move heaven and earth

vsto do one's damnedest

• Informal

7 4.2

Do everything you can to achieve something important

is alike but typically feels more colloquial and vehement

D

to do one's utmost

vsto do one's damnedest

5 3.2

To try as hard as possible

is more forceful and informal in expressing extreme effort

G

to give it one's all

vsto do one's damnedest

4 4.9

To try as hard as possible using all your energy

is similar but more forceful or emotional in tone

S

to spare no effort

vsto do one's damnedest

2 3.9

Do everything possible to achieve something

is similar but often feels more colloquial and intense

G

to go to the ends of the earth

vsto do one's damnedest

1 5.9

To try very hard and do anything to achieve something

is similar but often stresses a fierce, immediate struggle

D

to do one's best

vsto do one's damnedest

1 2.5

To try as hard as you can to do something well

is stronger and implies very intense, all-out trying

G

to give one's all

vsto do one's damnedest

• Informal

3.8

Put in as much effort and energy as possible

expresses the same idea but with stronger, emphatic tone

G

to give full measure

vsto do one's damnedest

5.4

Try as hard as possible to do something well

is more informal and expresses fiercer determination

P

to put one's darnedest

vsto do one's damnedest

• Informal

7.8

To try as hard as possible to do something

is the stronger, more forceful colloquial expression

P

to put in a hundred and ten percent

vsto do one's damnedest

• Informal

5.9

To work as hard as you can, often more than expected

is direct about extreme effort rather than exaggerated measure

G

to give one's best

vsto do one's damnedest

• Informal

2.8

To try as hard as you can when doing something

leans more toward loud, all-out trying rather than measured effort

Antonyms

G

to give in

220 3.0

To stop resisting and agree to what others want

S

to slack off

• Informal

3 3.9

To become less strong or busy

How Hard

to do one's damnedest

• NSFW

1 8.6

to do one's utmost

5 3.2

to do one's best

1 2.5

to try

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology