darn

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈdärn 

darned; darning; darns

transitive verb

1

: to mend with interlacing stitches

2

: to embroider by filling in with long running or interlacing stitches

intransitive verb

: to do darning

darner noun

darn

2 of 5

noun (1)

: a place that has been darned

a sweater full of darns

darn

3 of 5

adjective or adverb

ˈdärn 

variants or less commonly durn

ˈdərn 

: damned

darn

4 of 5

verb (2)

variants or less commonly durn

darned also durned

: damn

darned

ˈdärn(d) 

adjective or adverb

or less commonly durned

ˈdərn(d) 

darn

5 of 5

noun (2)

variants or less commonly durn

: damn

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• sew
• stitch
• suture

Adjective or adverb

• accursed
• accurst
• blasted
• confounded
• cursed
• curst
• cussed
• damnable
• dang
• danged
• darned
• durned
• deuced
• doggone
• doggoned
• freaking
• infernal

Noun (2)

• beans
• bubkes
• bupkes
• bupkus
• continental
• damn
• diddly [slang]
• diddly-squat [slang]
• doodley-squat
• doodly-squat
• fig
• ghost
• hoot
• iota
• jot
• lick
• modicum
• rap
• squat [slang]
• syllable
• tittle
• whit
• whoop

Examples of darn in a Sentence

Verb (1)

in the old days, holes in socks had to be darned by hand

Adjective or adverb

I can't seem to tie this darn shoe

Noun (2)

nobody gave a darn about us when we were poor, but now that we are rich, we have friends we never knew about!

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

By now, there’s little to no reason to not think of this squad as the WNBA’s best, name recognition be darned. —Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 12 Oct. 2024

The social communities will make that connection really darn fast. —Megan Poinski, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024

Adjective or adverb

Unlike the second-gen Pencil, which offers automatic pairing, wireless charging, touch controls to switch between modes, and a way to store the darn thing, the first-gen version is frustrating to use. —Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 29 Sep. 2021

Stop fighting with your husband, become proactive and get the darn door fixed. —Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 3 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps from French dialect darner

Adjective or adverb

euphemism

First Known Use

Verb (1)

circa 1600, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1720, in the meaning defined above

Adjective Or Adverb

1781, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1781, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1840, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing darn

• care a darn
• darn near
• darn well
• give a darn
• not worth a darn

Kids Definition

darn

1 of 4 verb

ˈdärn 

: to mend with interlacing stitches

darn socks

darn

2 of 4 noun

: a place that has been darned

darn

3 of 4 verb

: damn entry 1 sense 1

darn

ˈdärn

adjective or adverb

or darned

ˈdärn(d)

darn

4 of 4 noun

: damn entry 2 sense 2

not worth a darn