gosh
- 01 B1 Intermediate
you use this when you are surprised or impressed by something.
an exclamation used to convey mild surprise, wonder, or shock; it functions as a 'minced oath' to avoid saying 'God'.
Simple“Gosh, I didn't realize it was already ten o'clock.”
In context“Gosh, the sheer scale of the cathedral's interior is far more impressive than the photographs suggested.”
UsageUsually stands alone at the beginning of a sentence followed by a comma.
Teacher's tipThis is a very safe, polite word. It sounds slightly old-fashioned or innocent, making it a good choice for learners who want to avoid stronger language.
Altered from God. First seen in 1757 as by gosh, probably from by gosse in Nicholas Udall's Ralph Roister Doister (circa 1553).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.