When do people say what the heck?

Answer 1

"What the heck" is an old-fashioned version of what is now abbreviated as wtf. The word "heck" substitutes for "hell," which was once considered a curse word to be avoided. Some people still avoid using "hell" in slang expressions, considering it impolite or improper. When you say "What the heck!" you are usually expressing surprise, exasperation, and some degree of annoyance or protest. The phrase might be completed as "What the heck is that?" or "What the heck is going on!" If spoken with a different intonation and a shrug, the expression could also mean, "Oh, well, what's the difference" ("What the heck, I may as well go home since nothing interesting is happening here") or a kind of carefree willingness to take a risk ("What the heck, let's give it a try").