- A mild expletive used to express annoyance, disappointment, or displeasure.
- Also used to refer to nonsense, rubbish, lies, or something of poor quality.
- A less vulgar alternative to shit.
Explanation
Origin
- Crap likely derives from Middle English terms related to chaff or residue, or possibly from the Dutch krappe (pluckings, refuse). Its association with excrement (popularized by Thomas Crapper, though he didn't invent the word) came later.
- Used as a milder substitute for shit since the late 19th/early 20th century.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Bollocks (UK, noun for nonsense, strong/vulgar)
- Pants (UK, noun for rubbish/nonsense, informal/mildly amusing)
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- Shit! (Exclamation, stronger)
- Bullshit! (Noun nonsense, stronger)
Milder:
- Oh dear.
- Oh bother. (Associated with Winnie the Pooh, very mild/childish)
- Goodness.
- Oops.
Situational Appropriateness
- Informal. Considered a very mild swear word by most, but still best avoided in formal or professional settings.
- Generally acceptable among peers in casual conversation. Much less offensive than shit or fuck.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- While mild, it's still considered slightly impolite by some or in formal contexts.
- Can refer to literal excrement, though usually context makes the intended meaning (exclamation, nonsense, poor quality) clear.
Examples
- (Exclamation) Oh, crap! I forgot my wallet.
- (Noun nonsense) Don't listen to him, he's talking crap.
- (Noun poor quality) This cheap phone is a piece of crap.
- (Verb talk nonsense, rarer) Stop crapping on about your problems. (UK usage mainly)
Dialogue
# Exclamation:
Person A: (Checks watch) Crap! We're going to be late!
Person B: Hurry up then!
# Noun (nonsense):
Person C: He said you could make $1000 a day working from home.
Person D: That sounds like a load of crap to me.
Social Media Examples
- Tweet: Left my headphones at home. Crap. Now what am I going to listen to on the train? #fail
- Comment: Tried the new software update. It's full of bugs. Total crap.
- Forum post: Is this online course any good or is it just crap?
Response Patterns
- To the exclamation: What's wrong?, What happened?, Sympathy (Oh no!).
- To the noun (nonsense): Agreement (Yeah, it's crap), Disagreement (No, it's not!), Asking for reasons (Why do you say that?).
- To the noun (poor quality): Agreement (Tell me about it), Sharing similar experiences.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After hearing the exclamation:
- Inquire about the problem.
- Offer help.
After hearing it used as a noun:
- Discuss the perceived nonsense or poor quality.
- Agree or disagree with the assessment.
Conversation Starter
- No. An exclamation or a description, not an opener.
Intonation
- As an exclamation: Sharp, often short sound. Stress on Crap. CRAP! Tone of annoyance or sudden realization.
- As a noun: Stressed normally within the sentence. Tone depends on context (dismissive for nonsense, disappointed for poor quality). That's total CRAP. This thing is CRAP.
Generation Differences
- Used and understood across all generations. Perhaps seen as slightly weak or euphemistic by younger generations who might prefer stronger terms, but still common.
Regional Variations
- Common in all major English-speaking regions. Rubbish is a very common synonym in the UK/Aus/NZ.