damned

American  

[damd] / dæmd /

adjective

superlative

damnedest, damndest

1. condemned or doomed, especially to eternal punishment.

   the wailing of damned souls.

2. detestable; loathsome.

   Get that damned dog out of here!

3. complete; absolute; utter.

   a damned nuisance; a damned fool.

4. Informal. extraordinary; amazing.

   It was the damnedest thing I'd ever seen.

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noun

1. the damned, those condemned to suffer eternal punishment.

adverb

1. extremely; very; absolutely.

   a damned good singer; too damned lazy.

idioms

1. damned well, certainly or without doubt; emphatically: Also damn well.

   You damned well better say you're sorry!

damned British  

/ dæmd /

adjective

1. 1. condemned to hell

   2. ( as noun )

      the damned

---

adverb

1. (intensifier)

   a damned good try

   a damned liar

   I should damned well think so!

2. used to indicate amazement, disavowal, or refusal (in such phrases as I'll be damned and damned if I care )

Etymology

Origin of damned

First recorded in 1350–1400, damned is from the Middle English word dam(p)ned. See damn, -ed ²

Example Sentences

When he returned to the U.S. after eight years abroad, he remarked, “Europeans are 20 years behind the times, but working damned hard three days a week to catch up.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

Many of our children’s favorite apps and social-media sites were built from the ground up to keep young users hooked and helpless to look away, consequences to their health and well-being be damned.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 27, 2026

“In some ways, practices might be facing a Hobson’s choice, where they are damned if they do and they are damned if they don’t.”

From Slate • Mar. 17, 2026

It turns out Ashton Kutcher bathes on the regular after all, trend stories be damned.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

“Desert. Take off. I can turn my back on the whole damned mess and start running.”

From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller

Related Words

• darned
• lousy