1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death
condemned to hell for their sins
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
picking cotton under the hot summer sun was hell
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
all hell broke loose when the jury's verdict was announced
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hell
What fresh hell will Wednesday’s Grandmama (the Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley) raise at Nevermore?
—
Andy Swift, TVLine, 9 July 2025
The game was reportedly scheduled to launch in 2023, before being rebooted and entering development hell, although comments from Spencer in 2024 suggested the game was still on track for a release.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Any team that is stuck in second-apron hell when those sorts of opportunities arise is, for all intents and purposes, disqualified from participation.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 30 June 2025
The story may have depended on the horror of juxtaposing kids’ games with life-and-death consequences to convey how being in debt can be a living hell.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Andy Swift, TVLine, 9 July 2025
The game was reportedly scheduled to launch in 2023, before being rebooted and entering development hell, although comments from Spencer in 2024 suggested the game was still on track for a release.
—Oliver Brandt, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Any team that is stuck in second-apron hell when those sorts of opportunities arise is, for all intents and purposes, disqualified from participation.
—Sam Amick, New York Times, 30 June 2025
The story may have depended on the horror of juxtaposing kids’ games with life-and-death consequences to convey how being in debt can be a living hell.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
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Just like the companies who sparked a blaze, the fossil fuel industry bears responsibility for contributing to the soaring high temperatures and drier atmosphere that turn a routine forest fire into a blazing inferno.—
Chris Lee,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 July 2025
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The issue was brought to his attention by reporting from The Bee and other news outlets highlighting a stark difference between state and federal law concerning who can be licensed to work with high-grade explosives like those that sparked an inferno in Esparto on July 1.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
17 July 2025
Noun
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On top of the bathroom problems, the man says the kitchen is also a nightmare thanks to Jerry and Daisy, who leave dirty dishes around.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
27 July 2025
-
An ordinary evening rush hour turned into a nightmare for motorists crossing the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis on Aug. 1, 2007.—
Nick Woltman,
Twin Cities,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Amad’s hat-trick against Southampton in mid-January gave evidence of his attacking form when playing at wing-back; making late runs into the opposition area and causing havoc.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
28 July 2025
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Whether battling at the plate, creating havoc on the basepaths or chasing down a fly ball in the outfield, Simpson has created many thrilling moments for Rays fans.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes.com,
27 July 2025
Noun
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Longtime White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf fell into the same trap and his team is still trying to crawl out of the abyss.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
4 July 2025
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The continuity of memory did not measure the abyss between a toddler’s body and a woman’s.—
Rebecca Solnit
May 29,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2025
Noun
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With his wife in agony, Jason Nixdorf had a chance encounter with Zach Veigulis, a former chief data scientist at the Department of Veterans Affairs who was co-founding a company to help patients battle insurance company denials.—
Gretchen Morgenson,
NBC news,
18 July 2025
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Thank God that my family members could get vaccinated and have been free of the pain and agony of these illnesses.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The Twins approached the deadline in fourth place, six games under .500, 12 games out in the division, a fragile mess.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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Scientists have spent decades puzzling over potatoes’ origin story, in large part because the plants’ genetics are a bit of a mess, Ek Han Tan, a plant geneticist at the University of Maine who wasn’t involved in the study, told me.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
31 July 2025
Noun
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Yet, the measure was promptly shuffled into the House Rules Committee, where it could be buried to perdition.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
11 June 2025
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Appropriately for a fantasy of perdition suited to this nihilistic century, the logic of eternal punishment remains opaque.—
Elisa Gonzalez,
The New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Their relative misery even exceeds that of the Afghans and Iraqis.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
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Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs, his big, ugly budget bill, and the havoc that his immigration raids are spreading in the vulnerable industries of agriculture, hospitality and construction will inflict misery on all but the wealthiest sectors of the economy.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
18 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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