damnedest

[dam-dist]

noun

1. best; utmost.

   They did their damnedest to finish on time.

adjective

1. most amazing or extraordinary.

   It was the damnedest coincidence, running into her in Paris after all these years of avoiding each other in Atlanta.

damnedest

/ ˈdæmdɪst /

noun

1. informal,  utmost; best (esp in the phrases do or try one's damnedest )

Word History and Origins

Origin of damnedest¹

First recorded in 1820–30; damned + -est ¹

Example Sentences

If a young band can meet a grim moment like this, the Neighborhood Kids did their damnedest on Monday.

From Los Angeles Times

This is a comedy, yes, but not a satire: These are just five kids — sorry, adults — who are trying their damnedest, whether at the bank, with a hospital bill or even roasting a chicken.

From Los Angeles Times

He would instead do his damnedest to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency as a functional workplace, while “walking away from virtually every important climate policy on the books.”

From Salon

He scored 29 points in the fourth quarter, a post-season record that still stands despite future Warriors like Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant trying their damnedest to knock it down.

From Los Angeles Times

But really, Reijn is doing her damnedest to get a moral rise out of us.

From Los Angeles Times