damn
/ˈdæm/
adjectivenounverbadverb
Core
1.adj.used as expletives
“oh, damn (or goddamn)!”
2.adj.expletives used informally as intensifiers
“he's a blasted idiot”
3.n.something of little value
“his promise is not worth a damn”
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damn and darn share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. damn means “used as expletives”. darn means “something of little value”. damn is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdæm/
1.adj.used as expletives
“oh, damn (or goddamn)!”
2.adj.expletives used informally as intensifiers
“he's a blasted idiot”
3.n.something of little value
“his promise is not worth a damn”
/ˈdɑɹn/
1.n.something of little value
“his promise is not worth a damn”
2.n.sewing that repairs a worn or torn hole (especially in a garment)
“her stockings had several mends”
3.v.repair by sewing
“darn socks”
| damn | darn | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdæm/ | /ˈdɑɹn/ |
| Said | dam | dahrn |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | adjective, noun, verb, adverb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 5 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | goddamn | damn, hoot, red cent |
Full entry for damn · Full entry for darn · More comparisons