Dadgum
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "dadgum" is a mild expletive or intensifier used for emphasis or frustration - a polite stand-in for stronger language. It’s often heard in phrases like "every dadgum one of ’em" or "that dadgum car won’t start."
synonyms: dern, dang, doggone, dadgummit, confounded
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I would say 'daggum' is more common where I am in the hills, but 'dadgum' is still common. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I would say 'daggum' is more common where I am in the hills, but 'dadgum' is still common. Pronunciation
[DAD-guhm]
/ˈdæd.ɡʌm/
/ˈdæd.ɡʌm/
Meaning & Usage
- Mild intensifier or euphemistic oath (adjective/adverb/interjection)
Hazel:
I can’t find a dadgum thing in this shed.
I can’t find a dadgum thing in this shed.
Roy:
That’s cause you keep movin’ ever’ dadgum tool I set down.
That’s cause you keep movin’ ever’ dadgum tool I set down.variations: daggum, dadgummit, dad-blame, dad-blasted
Origin and Etymology
A softened euphemism for something blasphemous, recorded in Southern and Appalachian speech since at least the late 1800s. Forms like "daggum," "dad-blame," and "dad-blasted" served as polite substitutes that kept the rhythm and emotion without the profanity. "Dadgum" spread widely through 20th-century country talk, radio, and television, becoming one of the best-known mild Southern expletives.
Usage Notes
Still common in Southern and rural American English, used for emphasis, irritation, or humor.
- Functions as an adjective, adverb, or interjection.
- Often paired with "every" or "that": "every dadgum one," "that dadgum truck."
- "Daggum" is a regional variant, especially Appalachian.