# Phrases you use instead of curse words **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2002, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341 "2002-09-13T20:32:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SparrowHawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac8455/32.png) [@SparrowHawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SparrowHawk)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/21 "2002-09-14T03:28:32Z")
“Puckernuts”, from the _Elfquest_ comic. Or if I’m really mad, “Raggin’ Fraggin’ Nutpuckers” from spoof of same. It has also supplied me with “twedge” for certain kinds of people and “zug” for when the zugging thing gets all zugged up and “threk” for when you don’t know what the threk is going on, but I don’t use those last two so much. ---
**Author:** ![benson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@benson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/benson)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/22 "2002-09-14T04:17:12Z")
Fudge a muffin! Oh shhhhhh…ag. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/23 "2002-09-14T06:11:46Z")
“Son of a gun” works as does “God Bless America”. ---
**Author:** ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/24 "2002-09-14T06:21:46Z")
Chinese or Taiwanese swear-words for when I’m in the company of unsuspecting foreigners, or “Frick” or a low hiss (AKA an aborted “Shit”) If I’m not in a “hurry” (that is, I have enough time to control my mouth), I say “Goddess bless” or some random Tolkien Valar’s name (Often Elbereth or Manwe) ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/25 "2002-09-14T11:47:46Z")
“Shiite Moslems!” “Sheesh Louise!” (even my kids say that one) “What the hey-hoo!” “Bally” (as in “the bally balliness of it makes it all seem so bally…bally!”) “Son of a beehive.” “Mother Machree” ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/26 "2002-09-14T11:54:28Z")
“Genius”. I started saying this after realising that exclaiming “Jesus!” was deeply offensive to some people - I think it was after a thread on these boards, in fact - but it can get confusing, since I also (mis)use it to describe something good (“Wow, that’s genius.”) ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/27 "2002-09-14T12:22:00Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by **DAVEW0071** _ > “Bally” (as in “the bally balliness of it makes it all seem so bally…bally!”) Can’t go past a little P. G. Wodehouse! ---
**Author:** ![TVGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/82dd89/32.png) [@TVGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/28 "2002-09-14T13:31:19Z")
I sometimes use “futhermucker,” but it becomes too easy to slip with that one and it’s too easy to figure out and to hear incorrectly. “Fiddlesticks” works pretty well for me - and has the effect of being so silly that it can difuse tense situations that bring on swearing in the first place. I can get away with “bloody 'ell” sometimes - as long as I’m not speaking to a Brit. Beyond those, I pretty much just cuss like a sailor (no offense intended to any polite sailors out there.) ---
**Author:** ![bloomingpouf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@bloomingpouf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bloomingpouf)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/29 "2002-09-14T16:19:11Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by TVGuy \* > \*\* > I can get away with “bloody 'ell” sometimes - as long as I’m not speaking to a Brit._\* You trying to say that the Brits are more easily offended??? This Irish Brit uses the term “Bloody Nora” - from a 1970’s sit com! I also swear in Italian - I was taught to do this a by an Italian Plumber - and those guys traditionaly swear each time they hit something with a hammer! “Bugger me Backwards” is another favorite as is “Strap me Down and Sook me wang!”, sort of regional slang from the North East of England! "KCaScTiVCrMnFeCoNiCuZnGaGeAsSeBrKr " - this one laways makes me feel better and geberaly gets a few questions too! ---
**Author:** ![tarragon918](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@tarragon918](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarragon918)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/30 "2002-09-14T16:59:00Z")
Here’s some of the phrases I have been -trying- to use in place of swear words: -“Fluck a flicka” (but my daughter always catches me on that one, telling me that it’s still a curse word–hehe, no it’s not, it’s got an l in it!) Oh, this one is one I just stumbled onto by … luck I guess. 😉 -“Sugar shack” I don’t know how I came across this one either, but it works well in place of the other well-known curse word. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/31 "2002-09-14T17:20:57Z")
“Fishsticks!” Lifted from Filburt on _Rocko’s Modern Life_. I also use derivitives such as “Fish!” “Fish food!” “Fish feet!” and recently “Fish fat!” “Doggit!” and “Dogs!” Both derivitives of “Doggone it!” I’ll also spooneristically use “Chrisus Jeest!” every once in a while. Ah, yes… and “Dumb it!” ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/32 "2002-09-14T17:33:34Z")
_Razzenfrats_ has always worked for me, as has _Shucky-darn_. Also _ding-dong_ - as in “I can’t get the ding-dong jar opened!” ---
**Author:** ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/33 "2002-09-14T19:20:39Z")
MOTHER OF GOD!!! (with all the exclamation points) ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/34 "2002-09-14T20:07:51Z")
“Dorfle-puddy!” Comes from a play I did in High School called **The Clumsy Custard Horror Show and Ice Cream Clone Review** ---
**Author:** ![dead0man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@dead0man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dead0man)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/35 "2002-09-14T20:33:00Z")
I’ve been using “Son of a Bean” sometimes adding a “pole” to the end. I also use “frick”, “frack”, “gosh dernit” and “FRANK!!!” when I’m really “P’d off”. I don’t curse in front of the kids or one of my cow-orkers or out in public or on the phone with the parents. Frank me in the goat toushy, I almost never get to cuss. ---
**Author:** ![Global\_Citizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/46a35a/32.png) [@Global\_Citizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Global_Citizen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/36 "2002-09-14T21:37:06Z")
I’ll swear in Japanese or use a phrase in Japanese. I lived there for two years and still remember the bad words. 😉 Global Citizen ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/37 "2002-09-14T23:03:13Z")
“Geez freakin’ louise!” (freakin’ is every third word out of my mouth sometimes) “Phooey!” “Ai Chihuahua!” “Reffa steffa shneffa” (some cartoon dog – I don’t remember which one. Muttley, maybe?) “Oof-tah” (some Scandanavian thing I picked up from a roommate from South Dakota) and “God bless America” (though I don’t always remember to clench my teeth) ---
**Author:** ![butter\_pie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aca169/32.png) [@butter\_pie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butter_pie)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/38 "2002-09-15T00:45:09Z")
Forking polls. ---
**Author:** ![sundog66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@sundog66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sundog66)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/39 "2002-09-15T02:57:13Z")
Gore blimey! Great Caesar’s ghost! Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Tinsel Town! Also, I’ve always wanted to call someone a foppish prickmedainty. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2002, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341/40 "2002-09-15T03:51:41Z")
Ieasu Xristos. I have no clue where I picked it up, but it sounds cool. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrases-you-use-instead-of-curse-words/128341.md?page=3)