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Synonyms

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.

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. condemned to hell

    2. ( as noun )

      the damned
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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 )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

“Allergies be damned, you want your family to be happy,” said Ossa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 2, 2026

The VAR is damned if they do use slow motion replays, and damned if they do not.

From BBC • Jan. 19, 2026

“It’s because of that damned bull,” says the man in front of me.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.