hellish

adjective

hell·​ish ˈhe-lish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
Synonyms of hellishnext
: of, resembling, or befitting hell
broadly : terrible
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

Examples of hellish in a Sentence

We've been having hellish weather lately. The battlefield was a hellish scene of death and destruction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Others have been wounded, detained by military forces or stuck at sea in hellish conditions. Joanne Stocker, CBS News, 16 June 2026 There’s a vampire and wellness cult, a hellish basement and a bloodthirsty talking cat. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 In full widescreen dark hellish color palettes we are taken to the Celtic fringe of 1247 AD, where Sarnoski proceeds to destroy any previous cinematic incarnation of the legendary Robin Hood and smash it to bits. Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 June 2026 Without it, the film would be even more hellish. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hellish

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellish was circa 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

hellish

adjective
hell·​ish ˈhel-ish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
: of, resembling, or suitable to hell : infernal
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

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