damnedest

[ dam-dist ]

noun

1. best; utmost:

   They did their damnedest to finish on time.

adjective

1. most amazing or extraordinary:

   It was the damnedest coincidence, running into her in Paris after all these years of avoiding each other in Atlanta.

damnedest

/ ˈdæmdɪst /

noun

1. informal.
   utmost; best (esp in the phrases do or try one's damnedest )

Word History and Origins

Origin of damnedest¹

First recorded in 1820–30; damned + -est ¹

Example Sentences

"We do our damnedest to produce things with some sense of continuity," David says of the Dodgers.

From The Daily Beast

I did my damnedest to argue that he ought to instead work with me.

From The Daily Beast

From the first note to the last, he kept his cool and tried his damnedest to entertain those who cared to listen.

From The Daily Beast

Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman did their damnedest to find out Monday.

From The Daily Beast

"That's the damnedest story I've ever heard, and in my racket you hear some honeys," Myers said, when he had finished.

From Project Gutenberg

"I'll be gosh-darned ef that ain't the damnedest," said he, slowly.

From Project Gutenberg

And you, doctor, I want you to mix me a stiff powder for the damnedest headache that ever tangled my top-hamper.

From Project Gutenberg

I've been a damn' fool if you want to know—the biggest, damnedest fool on the face of creation.

From Project Gutenberg

"As we want to keep saying—as we want to keep fighting our damnedest to make sure they won't," Tom explained.

From Project Gutenberg