# what in tarnation

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/what-in-tarnation
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to add emphasis to "what" when beginning a question.

## Examples

- What in tarnation are you doing in my garden?
- When he saw the strange mess in the kitchen, he shouted, "What in tarnation happened here?"
- The old farmer stared at the mysterious lights in the sky and asked himself, "What in tarnation could those be?"

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.