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You might have seen the spelling variations dammit and damn it used in different places.
If you’re wondering which one is the real spelling, you’re not alone. Many words in the English language are tricky to spell, including this one.
So, is either spelling wrong?
The short answer is that both spellings are correct. Dammit and damn it are two variations that mean the same thing, with dammit being the more phonetic spelling since you don’t pronounce the N in damn it.
Read on to learn more about how to spell dammit vs damn it.
How Do You Spell Dammit?
The word dammit can be spelled in several different ways. You can write it as two separate words with an M-N (damn it), or you can write it as a single word with two Ms (dammit).
Here are a few examples of how you can spell this word:
Correct spelling 1: Dammit, I spilled coffee all over my laptop.
Correct spelling 2: Damn it, I spilled coffee all over my laptop.
Is Dammit a Bad Word?
The phrase damn it is a swear word commonly used in North America.
Whether or not dammit is a bad word depends on who you’re asking. It’s seen as a swear word, but it’s also considered less offensive than most other swear words.
Many households, schools, and institutions might be okay with the word dammit, even if they ban more severe swear words. For example, most television channels allowed dammit to be spoken on air, even if they banned other swear words.
People usually use this phrase when they’re feeling frustrated, angry, or upset. It can stand alone as its own exclamation, or it can be part of a longer sentence.
For example, you might say, “Damn it!” as a stand-alone sentence when you find out your flight’s been canceled, and you won’t be able to get home on time. Or you might say a longer sentence like, “Damn it, my flight’s been canceled!”
You can also use damn it or dammit to underscore a statement or show your resolve about something. For example, you might say, “I’m serious, dammit.”
In either case, you can spell the phrase as damn it or dammit—there’s no difference in meaning between the two spellings.
A slightly more offensive version of dammit is goddammit, which is considered worse because some religions see it as using the Lord’s name in vain. This phrase can also be spelled in two ways: goddammit or God damn it.
Examples of Dammit in Sentences
The best way to remember how to use a word is to see it in action! Here are some examples of dammit and damn it in sentences from popular English books.
“I love you, dammit. I'm not going to watch you get torn apart when everything goes bad.”—The Iron Daughter by Julie Kagawa
“‘Dammit,’ said Simon. ‘I knew Jace was screwing with me.’”—City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare
“Dammit, R.E.M. was right: Every single person on the planet had to take turns hurting. Sometimes all you could do was hold on to each other right until the dark spat you back out.”—Beach Read by Emily Henry
“The thing is, I don’t want my sadness to be othered from me just as I don’t want my happiness to be othered. They’re both mine. I made them, dammit. What if the elation I feel is not another ‘bipolar episode’ but something I fought hard for?”—On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
“It wasn’t my day. My week. My month. My year. My life. God damn it.”—Pulp by Charles Bukowski
“After all, damn it, what does being in love mean if you can't trust a person?”—Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh
“Damn it, would you just cooperate?”—Dreamfever by Karen Marie Moning
Damnit or Dammit Conclusion
If you’re not sure you’re spelling dammit or other difficult words correctly, ProWritingAid can help you check your work! The spelling checker will catch any spelling errors you might not spot on your own.