by God
Solemn vow phrase
By God is an oath expressing strong emphasis, conviction, or determination: By God, I'll finish this if it kills me.
It invokes God as witness to one's sincerity.
The expression ranges from solemn declaration to casual intensifier, though it retains enough religious weight to sound old-fashioned or emphatic rather than throwaway.
Often softened to by golly or by gosh.
In a genuine manner
- indeedWord affirming emphasis
- certainlyWithout any doubt
- absolutelyCompletely, without exception
- surelyWith complete confidence
verily · honestly · genuinely · emphatically · unquestionably · positively · decidedly · undoubtedly
Celestial expanse overhead
- gollyGentle exclamation of surprise
- goodnessMoral excellence
- graciousPleasantly kind and courteous
- goshTame exclamation of surprise
gee · crikey · blimey · strewth · egad · zounds · mercy · dear me
Vow or use profanity
- vowSolemn personal commitment
- pledgeBinding promise given
- promiseCommitment to act
- covenantBinding formal pledge
affirmation · declaration · testament · assurance · avowal · allegiance · guarantee · bond
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- incredulityInability to accept something
wonderment · speechless · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · aghast · bewilderment · stunned · startled
truly
In a genuine manner
- indeedWord affirming emphasis
- certainlyWithout any doubt
- absolutelyCompletely, without exception
surely · verily · honestly · genuinely · emphatically · unquestionably · positively · decidedly · undoubtedly · earnestly
heavens
Celestial expanse overhead
gosh · gee · crikey · blimey · strewth · egad · zounds · mercy · dear me · my word
swear
Vow or use profanity
covenant · affirmation · declaration · testament · assurance · avowal · allegiance · guarantee · bond · word
astonishment
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
incredulity · wonderment · speechless · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · aghast · bewilderment · stunned · startled · taken aback
- Sacred Phrasesamen, hallelujah, alleluia, glory be, blessed be