English Reference
Interjection

damnit

interj.
B2 Upper Intermediate damnit

interj.an angry or frustrated word you say when something goes wrong or you are annoyed. It is a slightly stronger way to say 'darn it'.

interj.an exclamation used to express irritation, frustration, or anger. A non-standard spelling of the phrase 'damn it', often used to reflect colloquial pronunciation.


SIMPLE

Damnit, I missed the bus again.

CONTEXTUAL

He dropped his keys down the drain and muttered, 'Damnit,' under his breath.

COMPLEX

The mechanic wiped the grease from his forehead and sighed, 'Damnit, this engine is in worse shape than I thought,' before reaching for a heavier wrench.

Usage

Used as a standalone exclamation or to introduce a sentence expressing frustration.

Pitfall
damnit to helldamn it to hell

While 'damnit' is common in informal writing, the two-word form 'damn it' is preferred in formal contexts and for longer idiomatic phrases.


Nonstandard contraction of damn + it

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated