diabolical
adjective
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Like the word devil, "diabolical" traces back to Latin diabolus, which itself descends from Greek diabolos, a word that literally means "slanderer." In English, "diabolical" has many nuances of meaning. It can describe the devil himself (as in "my diabolical visitor") or anything related to or characteristic of him in appearance, behavior, or thought; examples include "diabolical lore," "a diabolical grin," and "a diabolical plot." In British slang, "diabolical" can also mean "disgraceful" or "bad," as in "the food was diabolical."
Synonyms of diabolical
Examples of diabolical in a Sentence
Greta Cross, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
In this diabolical satirical thriller, a millennial woman resorts to extreme measures to secure the million-dollar house of her dreams.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
What went into that diabolical question?
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Dec. 2025
Made for those looking for slice-of-life calm with dramatic bite, Shoshimin combines deliberate pacing and a contemplative, off-kilter character study with some amusingly diabolical scheming.
—Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diabolical
Cite this Entry
“Diabolical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical. Accessed 3 Jan. 2026.
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diabolical
adjective
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