In the South, we believe in manners and politeness. We love “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am,” “please,” and “thank you;” and sometimes we’re so polite we don’t even say real cuss words. In fact, we’ve created quite the vernacular of fake cuss words – words that aren’t quite as offensive as the real thing, but words that still get your dadgum point across.
35 Words Southerners Love to Use in Place of Cuss Words:
The Darn/Dangs:
1. “Dang it”
2. “Damage”
3. “Dad Blast It”
4. “Dagnabbit”
5. “Dadgummit”
(A Southern favorite)
The 4-letter “S word” substitutes:
6. “Crap”
7. “Crapola”
8. “Crud”
9. “Crud muffin” (
Because when you add muffin it stings a little more)
10. “Shucks”
11. “Holy hhip” (
Like the Pope’s boat maybe?)
12. “Holy crap”
13. “Holy moly”
14. “Holy guacamole”
15. “Shiitake mushroom”
16. ”
Sugar Honey Iced Tea” (It’s an acronym)
The F-Bomb substitutes:
17. “Shut the front door!”
18. “Flipping!”
19. “Mother of pearl!”
20. “Fudge!”
21. “Mother trucker!”
22. “Frggin’!”
The Hecks
23. “H-E-Double LL”
24. “H-E-Double hockey sticks”
25. “What the heck? ”
26. “What on earth? ”
Son of a you-know-what:
27. “Son of bee sting”
28. “Son of biscuit ”
29. “Son of nutcracker ”
30. “Son of a motherless goat”
And some other fake cuss word favorites:
31. “Criminey/Criminelly ”
32. “Cotton picking”
33. “Fart knocker”
34. “Shut your pie hole”
35. “Kiss my grass”
36. “Horse feathers”