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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devilish
Like the frenzied conductor of a runaway train, Jack Nicholson and his devilish smile drive it all.
—
EW.com, 23 May 2025
Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there’s always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Florez Said Combs Had ‘devilish Stare’ After Altercation Israel Florez, then a security guard at the Los Angeles hotel where Combs attacked ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 in an incident captured on surveillance cameras, testified first at the trial.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
As the devilish Rusty Ryan, Brad Pitt is rarely seen without a snack in hand.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
EW.com, 23 May 2025
Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there’s always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Florez Said Combs Had ‘devilish Stare’ After Altercation Israel Florez, then a security guard at the Los Angeles hotel where Combs attacked ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 in an incident captured on surveillance cameras, testified first at the trial.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
As the devilish Rusty Ryan, Brad Pitt is rarely seen without a snack in hand.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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As a Millennial what’s your take on Gen Z’s excessive use of exclamation points?—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
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The coroner ruled Carol’s cause of death as hypovolemia, which is when the plasma is too low from excessive bleeding; multiple stab and incised wounds from a sharp instrument; and a blunt force injury that fractured the skull, according to the coroner’s report.—
Stephanie Warsmith,
USA Today,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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In this new adventure, players will face a vast and brutal conflict where demonic forces, warlords, and opportunistic factions clash for control.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
13 June 2025
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The members of my party have the gall to request several of these demonic items from the livid waiter.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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View More On the cover, a young Chenier holds a 25-pound accordion the length of his torso, a big, mischievous smile on his face.—
Reya Hart,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2025
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Next, Negan saw Annie… and Joshua (whose smile was as mischievous as we’d been told).—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The suit cites the extreme conditions within the CECOT megaprison, known by its acronym in Spanish, where prisoners sleep in crowded cells with bunks three levels high and are not allowed to go outside or have visitors of any kind.—
Rebecca Beitsch,
The Hill,
5 June 2025
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These warnings meant boaters along the coast faced immediate risk of capsizing or damage due to extreme sea and wind conditions.—
Barney Henderson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Mitchell returned to the family’s Salt Lake City home months later with sinister intentions.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
8 June 2025
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Picking from hundreds of hours of original, low-budget TV ads, Glassman tells the sinister tale of two restaurants battling it out in the town of Westridge County.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Robertson has a wicked release and high work rate, scoring 29 goals across the past two seasons despite seeing limited power-play time. 13.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Silo is a wicked and bingeable slow burn with a tantalizing central mystery.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Working with other young rappers—peers, not big brothers—yielded a looser, more playful Wayne who got to test his dexterity over popular instrumentals of the early aughts.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
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The brown leather exterior means it can be dressed up with office clothes while its size and woven design are playful enough to work with casual looks like Birkenstocks, a tee, and loose jeans.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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