1
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
that's a devilish amount of bad luck for any person to have to endure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit
a devilish plan to sabotage the other party's political convention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a devilish grin that told us he was up to something
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devilish
Below, Park gets into the devilish debauchery of Mary Todd Lincoln.
—
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Both of the above are essential to the show’s endgame, ensuring that a sequence of unhinged kickers ostensibly meant to be devilish fun instead come across as mean-spirited and exploitative.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
And the drinks really are devilish good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
One devilish regime cracks with Maduro’s capture; gratuitous, imperial profiteering must not be allowed to empower another.
—Anthony Dominguez, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Both of the above are essential to the show’s endgame, ensuring that a sequence of unhinged kickers ostensibly meant to be devilish fun instead come across as mean-spirited and exploitative.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
And the drinks really are devilish good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
One devilish regime cracks with Maduro’s capture; gratuitous, imperial profiteering must not be allowed to empower another.
—Anthony Dominguez, Sun Sentinel, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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Although the Bobcats scored more points in the paint, their inability to stop the Eagles' forward on the interior led to excessive fouling.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
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Critics say it was often used to justify excessive force by police.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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There are bodily fluids, jeering crowds, and demonic Punch and Judy puppets applauding through the chaos, giving the scene the air of a demented fairy tale.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
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The design, Hing said, intentionally inverts the traditional characterization of the yeak as an antagonistic or even demonic force.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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His mischievous-urchin phase was short-lived.—
David Kamp,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Those mischievous Minions will have their Olympic moment after all.—
Dave Skretta,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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When glycogen stores are low, blood sugar highs and lows feel more extreme, which can be especially challenging for the brain, DeWitt said.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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As frozen supply chains continue to expand, autonomous systems designed specifically for extreme environments may become essential rather than optional.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While some post harmless content such as gym routines and self-improvement advice, other accounts are more sinister.—
Ivana Scatola,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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And then there's Reinhardt's sinister robot sidekick Maximilian, a silent, malevolent presence who has no qualms about slicing up humans with his Swiss Army Knife-esque collection of torture devices.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The winds that kick up this time of year proved wicked.—
Jacques Kelly,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Feb. 2026
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Mimics tells the story of Sam, a struggling impressionist who makes a pact with a wicked puppet.—
Rebecca Angel Baer,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Last week, the wind-power green scam artists were back in federal court, arguing to be permitted to keep squandering billions more on those insane offshore windmills that produce next to no energy, but plenty of pollution.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
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That’s the best reaction to these stupid, insane men ruling the world now and trying to grab and dominate the world.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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My deep cynicism thinks this was a diabolical plan to herd young people toward expensive, and somewhat useless, college degrees.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
31 Jan. 2026
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Weisz gives two of her best performances — aggressive and sinister here, meek and contemplative there — to craft a diabolical portrait of primal codependency.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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