Dickens is a word with two very different uses. It can be an old-fashionedbelonging to an earlier style, not common in modern speech exclamationa sudden spoken expression of strong feeling used to show surprise or confusion, and it can also refer to the English novelista person who writes novels Charles Dickens.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /ˈdɪkɪnz/
Easy pronunciation: DIK-inz (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress the first syllable.
Old-fashioned exclamation meaning “what on earth?”; not the writer Charles Dickens.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Dickens Meaning
a mild exclamation meaning “what on earth?” or “the hell?”
Part of speech: noun
Definition: an old-fashioned word used in exclamations of surprise, confusion, or irritation
Example: The dickens are you doing out here at this hour?
Synonyms for this meaning:
- deuce — A close substitute in the same kind of exclamation.
- devil — Used in the same old-fashioned exclamatory way, though it can sound stronger or more literary.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Dickens
Meaning 2
Charles Dickens, the famous English novelist
Part of speech: noun
Definition: English writer whose novels depicted and criticized social injustice (1812-1870)
Example: We are reading Dickens in class this term.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- charles dickens — The standard name of the author.
- charles john huffam dickens — The author's full name.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Dickens Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- deuce
- devil
the English novelist Charles Dickens
- charles dickens
- charles john huffam dickens
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not confuse the exclamation dickens with Charles Dickens, the author.
- The exclamation is old-fashioned and is not usually used in modern everyday speech.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does dickens mean?
Dickens can mean an old-fashioned exclamation of surprise or confusion, or it can refer to the novelist Charles Dickens.
What are the synonyms of dickens?
For the exclamation sense, close synonyms are deuce and devil. For the writer, the synonyms are Charles Dickens and Charles John Huffam Dickens.
Is dickens still used in English?
The exclamation is mostly old-fashioned, but it may still appear in writing, jokes, or set phrases.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-11-02. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
