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my gosh

my gosh

46 8.6
A short phrase people say to show surprise or admiration
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : madre mía
  • Oh my gosh, I would have been so scared too.
  • oh my gosh
  • my gosh, so beautiful
  • my gosh, really

And I'm like, Nah, I'm like, Oh my gosh, I got her.

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Examples

  • And with one little section done, my gosh, look at the difference.

  • I would rather people say, Oh my gosh, we overreacted.

  • So I said, my gosh, it's all light.

  • Oh my gosh, can you see this?

  • Oh, my gosh, come on!

  • My gosh, look at its little face.

  • Oh my gosh, I haven't felt that much love directed at me all at once.

    Blog text (2)
  • My gosh, can you imagine what price they could get for the foals?

    Blog text (18)
  • Oh, my gosh, I can't believe how beautiful this place is!

  • My gosh, I never expected to see you here!

Synonyms

oh
vsmy gosh
1.0

Show a sudden feeling like surprise or understanding

is narrower, focusing on polite surprise and mild shock
ooh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
7.2

A short sound people make to show surprise or pleasure

is more polite and gently surprised rather than enthusiastic
wow
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
1.0

A short word people say to show surprise or admiration

is milder and calmer, expressing gentler surprise or admiration
gee
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
957 9.2

Say it to show surprise, excitement, or thanks

is milder and more polite, often showing gentle shock
gosh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
553 6.4

An exclamation showing surprise, wonder, or mild annoyance

is the same gentle exclamation emphasizing mild shock or admiration
oh my
vsmy gosh
321 6.6

A short exclamation people use to show surprise or strong feeling

is consistently mild and polite rather than strongly variable
geez
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
175 8.8

A short informal word people say to show surprise, annoyance, or sympathy

is milder and more polite, focusing on admiration and mild shock
what the heck
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
90 8.9

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

is milder and polite, avoiding strong disbelief or confusion
oooh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
31 8.7

A quiet sound people make when they are surprised or impressed

is steadier and less vocal, focusing on mild astonishment
golly
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
24 9.9

A word people say to show mild surprise

is contemporary and more commonly polite in everyday use
lordy
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
17 9.4

A short informal cry showing surprise or strong feeling

is milder and more restrained in emotional tone
ooooh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
16 8.3

A short sound people say to show surprise or excitement

is milder and conveys calm surprise or admiration
oh really
vsmy gosh
13 7.4

Shows surprise or mild doubt about what someone just said

is more general and can express admiration as well as mild shock
gah
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
13 9.9

A short sound people make when they feel frustrated, annoyed, or surprised

is gentler and more focused on admiration and mild shock
goodness me
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
9 7.7

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

is more conversational and less formal while still polite
goodness gracious
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
5 7.5

A short phrase people say to show surprise or shock

is less formal and more conversational in polite situations
gawd
vsmy gosh
  • Slang
4 9.9

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

is milder and more polite rather than coarse or strongly emotional
ohhhh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
3 8.4

A short sound people make when they suddenly understand something

is broader, covering polite surprise and mild shock rather than sudden insight
good gracious
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
3 6.7

A short cry people say when they are very surprised

is milder and more modern in polite speech
holy crap
vsmy gosh
  • Offensive
3 9.6

To say when you are very surprised or shocked

is polite and mild, avoiding coarse intensity
geesh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
2 9.9

An informal word people say to show surprise, annoyance, or that they do not believe something

is gentler and more polite than this casual exclamation
oho
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
2 9.9

A short cry showing surprise or sudden understanding

is broader, used for mild surprise and admiration rather than sudden insight
oh my gosh
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
2 7.0

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

is the same mild polite exclamation used for surprise and admiration
gor
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
1 9.9

An old word people say to show surprise or strong feeling

is modern and used as a polite reaction rather than old-fashioned
gorry
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A mild old word people say to show surprise

is modern and used as a polite reaction rather than old-fashioned
oh my glob
vsmy gosh
  • Slang
9.9

A friendly phrase people say to show surprise or excitement

is similar but more neutral and less playful in tone
oh my heck
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
9.9

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

leans more toward polite admiration and gentle shock
oh my days
vsmy gosh
  • Slang
9.9

A short exclamation showing surprise or excitement

is milder and more polite, avoiding strong excitement
oh my lanta
vsmy gosh
  • Slang
9.9

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

is more neutral and polite without regional playfulness
Oh my Allah
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
9.5

A short phrase showing surprise or disbelief used by people who call on Allah

is similar in mildness but avoids specific religious wording
gosh all hemlock
vsmy gosh
  • Archaic
9.9

A short shout people use when they feel surprised or frustrated

is straightforward and polite rather than quaint or playful
uh-oh, Spaghetti-O
vsmy gosh
  • Baby Talk
9.9

A short phrase showing mild surprise or worry said in a playful way

is similar in mildness but less overtly playful or humorous
orh hor
vsmy gosh
  • Informal
9.9

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

is more neutral and polite rather than overtly playful

How Surprised

wow
  • Informal
1.0
oh my gosh
  • Informal
2 7.0
my gosh
  • Informal
46 8.6
oh
1.0

Surface Forms

my gosh main

Morphology

mine + gosh

Because 'gosh' is already an interjection meaning surprise and 'my' functions here as a common emphatic/possessive modifier, the combined phrase 'my gosh' transparently signals surprise or mild shock. This construction mirrors cross-linguistic patterns (e.g., 'mon dieu', 'mein Gott') so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the exclamatory meaning.

Etymology

The expression my gosh comes from people avoiding the name 'God' and using a softer word like gosh instead. So today my gosh is used to show 'surprise' or 'admiration'.