damned; damning
ˈda-miŋ 
1
: to condemn to a punishment or fate
especially
: to condemn to hell
2
a
: to condemn vigorously and often irascibly for some real or fancied fault or defect
damned the storm for their delay
b
: to condemn as a failure by public criticism
3
: to bring ruin on
4
: to swear at : curse
—often used to express annoyance, disgust, or surprise
damn him, he should have been careful
I'll be damned
1
: the utterance of the word damn as a curse
2
: a minimum amount or degree (as of care or consideration) : the least bit
don't give a damn
damn
3 of 3adjective or adverb
: damned
a damn nuisance
ran damn fast
Examples of damn in a Sentence
Verb
But it is functional talk for the purpose of conveying information, not, as often in the case of Waugh, for entertaining his audience, humdrum veracity be damned.
—
Robert Murray Davis, Commonweal, 5 June 2009
Congress demanded an immediate investigation and over the next year held dramatic hearings, launched a variety of inquests, and produced several pounds of reports that condemned FEMA. One report damned the agency as a dumping ground for political appointees …
—Christopher Cooper & Robert Block, Disaster, 2006
No American war has been more roundly damned than the Mexican. Within months after its outbreak Whigs and abolitionists accused Polk of plotting the ambush on the Rio Grande and misrepresenting the facts in order to stampede the nation into a war of conquest …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
He damned them for their stupidity.
damned the car for once again breaking down
Noun
I don't want to hear about your problems—I just don't give a damn.
Adjective or adverb
told her she'd never get married because she was too damn picky
that dilapidated house is a damn eyesore and should be torn down
Robert Murray Davis, Commonweal, 5 June 2009
Congress demanded an immediate investigation and over the next year held dramatic hearings, launched a variety of inquests, and produced several pounds of reports that condemned FEMA. One report damned the agency as a dumping ground for political appointees …
—Christopher Cooper & Robert Block, Disaster, 2006
No American war has been more roundly damned than the Mexican. Within months after its outbreak Whigs and abolitionists accused Polk of plotting the ambush on the Rio Grande and misrepresenting the facts in order to stampede the nation into a war of conquest …
—Walter A. McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State, 1997
He damned them for their stupidity.
damned the car for once again breaking down
Noun
I don't want to hear about your problems—I just don't give a damn.
Adjective or adverb
told her she'd never get married because she was too damn picky
that dilapidated house is a damn eyesore and should be torn down
Recent Examples on the Web
Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann lost a long-shot bid to have damning DNA evidence thrown out Wednesday, after a New York judge ruled that prosecutors can use the evidence against him at trial in a decision police expect to impact far more cases.
—Michael Ruiz , Jennifer Johnson, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
At the start, the project required building a damn to drain the water from the facade.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
As noted above, Mariah Carey doesn't need to do another damn thing to enter the pantheon of all-time music legends.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for damn
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show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Fourth-and-8 isn’t really a great spot to risk a turnover on downs, but with kickoff touchbacks placing teams at the 35-yard line, a turnover at the 39-yard line isn’t particularly damning by comparison.
—Mike Kaye
september 10, Charlotte Observer, 10 Sep. 2025
Suspected Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann lost a long-shot bid to have damning DNA evidence thrown out Wednesday, after a New York judge ruled that prosecutors can use the evidence against him at trial in a decision police expect to impact far more cases.
—Michael Ruiz , Jennifer Johnson, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
Even for those in the North who didn’t care a damn for the four million held in brutal bondage, or those who wanted a soft, conciliatory approach, the war began to take on new and moral meaning.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
At the start, the project required building a damn to drain the water from the facade.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective or adverb
With the damn flash on, mind you.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
As noted above, Mariah Carey doesn't need to do another damn thing to enter the pantheon of all-time music legends.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for damn
Cite this Entry
“Damn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damn. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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