Phrase guide

dun dun dun

intj · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˈdʌn ˌdʌn ˈdʌn/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌn

1

intj

Meaning 1

Used as a dramatic pause, or to emphasize that something is frightening, thrilling, etc.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

An onomatopoeic representation of a three-note dramatic sting (“short musical phrase”). See the Wikipedia article for details of its origin.

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: tan-tan-tan — used as a dramatic pause, or to emphasize that something is frightening, thrilling, etc.
  • Macedonian: тан-тан-тан (tan-tan-tan) — used as a dramatic pause, or to emphasize that something is frightening, thrilling, etc.