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my goodness

American

[mahy good-nis] / ˌmaɪ ˈgʊd nɪs /

Sometimes my goodness gracious also oh my goodness

interjection

(used as an interjection to express surprise, excitement, mild alarm, etc.).

My goodness, how the time has flown!
Top that with rich, pungent blue cheese and, oh my goodness, I can't even begin to describe the flavor.

Etymology

Origin of my goodness

First recorded in 1760–70

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.

See Examples For:

my goodness

It’s that groceries are too much, and my goodness, gas is through the roof.

From Salon ● Sep. 30, 2026

“Oh, my goodness, it’s becoming more visible,” exclaimed the 64-year-old Thater.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026

"They must be from above smiling down on you and thinking, my goodness me, what a wonderful, wonderful father, husband, sister," she added.

From Barron's ● Dec. 31, 2025

“One of the Somali girls’ hijabs will fall off and all of the girls are like, ‘Oh, my goodness, let’s help her.’

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 7, 2025

I turned the knob and opened the door and, my goodness, there he was: Reverend Obertask.

From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo

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