# jeez

/ˈdʒiz/ (US) · /dʒˈiːz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Interjection

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jeez
Updated: 2026-05-06

## Definition

a word you say to show you are surprised, annoyed, or shocked. It is a milder way of saying 'Jesus'.

For teachers: an exclamation used to express surprise, annoyance, or emphasis. A phonetic alteration of 'Jesus', used to avoid blasphemy while maintaining the emotional force of the original.

## Examples

- Jeez, that movie was much longer than I expected.
- Jeez, I didn't see you standing there in the dark; you gave me a real fright.
- Jeez, if the repair costs are actually that high, we might as well consider buying a brand new car instead of fixing this one.

## Usage notes

- Typically used at the beginning of a sentence to set the emotional tone of the statement.

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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.