my goodness
Mild shock phrase
My goodness is a mild exclamation of surprise, dismay, or emphasis—a euphemistic alternative to "my God": My goodness, you've grown so tall!
It sounds wholesome and slightly old-fashioned, often associated with polite or religious speakers who avoid invoking deity.
Sometimes shortened to just goodness or elaborated to goodness gracious.
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
- wonderAmazement or curiosity
incredulity · bewilderment · startled · dumbfounded · speechless · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · aghast
Correctness of conduct
- etiquetteRules of polite conduct
- decorumFitting social conduct
- modestyAbsence of vanity
- respectabilityMoral and social worthiness
refinement · gentility · old-fashioned · quaint · prim · proper · demure · Victorian
astonishment
Intense sudden wonder
- amazementOverwhelming surprise and wonder
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
wonder · incredulity · bewilderment · startled · dumbfounded · speechless · thunderstruck · gobsmacked · aghast · astounded
propriety
Correctness of conduct
respectability · refinement · gentility · old-fashioned · quaint · prim · proper · demure · Victorian · prudish
- exclamationsoh, yes, no, wow, hey
- expressions of awewow, whoa, amazing, awesome, incredible
- disbeliefdisbelief, no way, incredulity, unbelievable, yeah right
- minced oathsdarn, heck, gosh, shoot, dang
- emphaticsabsolutely, certainly, definitely, emphasis, indeed
my goodnessholy shit
Profane expression of shock
goddamn · what the fuck · Jesus Christ · holy fuck · fucking hell
good, goods, goodness, goodies, goodie, goodly, goodish, goodness gracious, goodness me