Duh! All Too Obvious

Duh!’ is an expression used to indicate that something is self-evident or too obvious. This short, funny word, pronounced more or less ‘da’ (/dʌ/), is often used jokingly in a slightly mocking tone and adds a touch of humour to conversations. However, it isn’t really a slang word, but rather a sarcastic alternative to ‘obviously’, ‘of course’, ‘no kidding’ or ‘that’s so obvious!’ It is used to indicate that something is exceedingly apparent, very clear and easy to understand, or to express annoyance at banality, stupidity or obviousness.

In fact, a lot of people use ‘duh’ for themselves more than they use it for others when they realise that they have said or done something dumb. For example, you are standing in front of a door and try to push it open. Then, right in front of you, you read a big sign that says “Pull”. You pull the door open and say to yourself “Oh, duh!”.

origins

The origin of the word ‘duh’ is unclear. It appeared in a 1943 Warner Brothers cartoon starring Bugs Bunny, which may have helped popularise it in the US. The expression is now quite common among young people and famously features repeatedly in one of Billie Eilish’s most successful songs, Bad Guy.

WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE

‘Duh’ is generally used with humorous intent, but sometimes with the purpose of mocking oneself or another person. It can be meant to call someone stupid in either a mean or a funny way. So, be careful when using ‘duh’ because, even if it’s a mild word, it can sometimes sound rude. That’s why it’s best to use ‘duh’ with friends or people you know well, since in formal situations or with strangers it might be considered disrespectful. Definitely not to be used in a professional context!

‘DUH’, ‘DOH’ AND ‘NO DUH’

At times ‘duh!’ is replaced by the alternative ‘no duh!’, especially in spoken English. It means exactly the same thing and is used in the same way. Which is surprising, since even if you put ‘no’ in front of ‘duh’, the meaning is basically the same: a sarcastic ‘obviously’.

In the last few decades, the usage of ‘duh’ has in some cases been replaced by ‘doh!’ (often spelled ‘d’oh’), popularised by Homer Simpson, with a slightly different meaning. Homer’s iconic catchphrase is rather used as an expression of frustration referred to the speaker himself and is more like a word such as ‘dammit’ or a self-deprecatory exclamation like ‘I feel stupid that I didn’t see that coming’.