Meaning & use
tarnation
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An old-fashioned, mild exclamation of surprise, frustration, or annoyance, used as a euphemism for "damnation."
See it in a sentence
"What in tarnation is going on out there?" the farmer shouted.
He muttered "tarnation" under his breath after stubbing his toe again.
A note on using this word
A dated Americanism, now mostly used humorously or to evoke old rural or Western speech patterns.
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