dadgum
A mild Southern cuss word standing in for damn or goddamn.
Also called dad-gum, dadgummit, daggum.
Updated September 21, 2026
dadgum pronunciation
/DAD-gum/
Meaning
Dadgum is what you say when you are mad enough to swear but still sitting in company that frowns on the real thing. It works as an adjective (that dadgum wrench), an adverb, or a blurted dadgummit. Soft enough for church parking lots, sharp enough to show you mean it.
How folks use it
- “Where'd I put that dadgum screwdriver?”
- “Dadgummit, the truck won't start again.”
Origin and etymology
A minced oath, a cleaned-up stand-in for goddamn. Chiefly Southern U.S. speech has used dadgum and dad-gum since at least the late 1800s. Same family as dagnabbit and doggone: twist the letters till the cuss fits polite company.
Frequently asked questions
Is dadgum as strong as damn?
Same job, softer gloves. It shows annoyance without the full swear that might get you a look from Grandma.