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verb Uncommon

darn

dahn
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Darn (verb) means to mend a hole or worn patch in fabric by weaving thread back and forth across it. Example: “My grandmother taught me how to darn socks instead of throwing them away.”

verb
1
To mend a hole or worn patch in fabric by weaving thread back and forth across it.
"My grandmother taught me how to darn socks instead of throwing them away."
"He darned the elbow of his old jumper."
"She sat by the fire to darn a hole in her sock."
intj
1
A mild exclamation of annoyance, used as a softened substitute for "damn."
""Darn it," she muttered, dropping her keys again."
"Oh darn, I forgot to bring the tickets again!"
"Darn, the shop has just closed and we needed milk."

How to use darn

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither to repair a hole with stitching, or a polite way of saying "damn" when something goes wrong.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the sewing verb with the mild swear — context makes it obvious, but they are unrelated in meaning despite being spelled the same.

Common pairings
darn a sock darn it well, darn
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Word forms

Plural
darns
Third person singular
darns
Past tense
darned
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

My grandmother taught me how to _____ socks instead of throwing them away.

Etymology

The mending sense comes from Middle English/Old French roots for weaving; the exclamation is simply a softened, "minced" form of damn.

Origin: Old French

Synonyms

View more →
mend patch stitch up

Related words

while help police break piece doctor damage spot

Rhymes for darn

Arn barn tarn warn
See all rhymes for darn →

Frequently asked questions

What does “darn” mean?
The word “darn” means to mend a hole or worn patch in fabric by weaving thread back and forth across it. In plain terms, either to repair a hole with stitching, or a polite way of saying "damn" when something goes wrong.
How do you pronounce “darn”?
“Darn” is pronounced dahn (/dɑɹn/ in IPA).
How do you use “darn” in a sentence?
Here is “darn” used in a sentence: “My grandmother taught me how to darn socks instead of throwing them away.”
What part of speech is “darn”?
Depending on how it is used, “darn” can be a verb and an intj.
Where does the word “darn” come from?
The word “darn” comes from Old French. The mending sense comes from Middle English/Old French roots for weaving; the exclamation is simply a softened, "minced" form of damn.
Is “darn” a common word?
“Darn” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “darn” have?
“Darn” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to mend a hole or worn patch in fabric by weaving thread back and forth across it.
What is the difference between "darn" and "damn"?
"Darn" is a mild exclamation of annoyance used as a softened substitute for "damn," so it expresses the same frustration in a more polite, family-friendly way. It is generally considered acceptable in situations where "damn" might be seen as impolite or offensive.
What does it mean to "darn" a sock?
To "darn" a sock means to mend a hole or worn patch in the fabric by weaving thread back and forth across the gap. This is a traditional hand-sewing repair technique, most often applied to socks and other knitted items.
Is "darn" only used as an exclamation, or does it have other uses?
"Darn" has two distinct uses: as a verb meaning to mend fabric by weaving thread across a hole, and as a mild interjection expressing annoyance. These two meanings are unrelated in origin but share the same spelling.

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