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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hell
Hüller is having a hell of a year, winning the Silver Bear for her role as a woman passing herself off as a male soldier to claim an estate in Rose, and playing the wry, sadly pragmatic head of the international task force in Project Hail Mary, one of the biggest hits of the year.
—
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026
But in May 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland, and five years of hell on earth began.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
Once inside, Gaff attacked the 14- and 16-year-old girls, and for the next two and a half hours, put them through living hell as their mother slept in the basement.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Gas prices are hell, and everyone knows it.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 May 2026
But in May 1940, the Nazis invaded Holland, and five years of hell on earth began.
—Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 15 May 2026
Once inside, Gaff attacked the 14- and 16-year-old girls, and for the next two and a half hours, put them through living hell as their mother slept in the basement.
—Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Gas prices are hell, and everyone knows it.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
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Twenty-six years earlier, a roaring inferno engulfed a Monte Carlo penthouse killing a billionaire and his private nurse.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
17 May 2026
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The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen on the second floor, but the cause of the inferno has not yet been determined, per CBS News.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Noun
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The Los Angeles Dodgers could face a massive PR nightmare from LA vegans as star pitcher Edwin Diaz finds himself at the center of a federal animal cruelty scandal.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
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Brutal start for Ducks The first period was an absolute nightmare for the Ducks.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The inconsistent role wreaked havoc with his shot.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Just ask Panthers guard Robert Hunt, who has stories about Eagles fans climbing onto opposing team buses and wreaking havoc.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
15 May 2026
Noun
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They are lost in the abyss of the deep ocean, unable to recognize themselves or their surroundings, overwhelmed and terrified.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
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According to sources, the contest in fact nearly tipped into the abyss with an additional half-dozen countries poised to pull out over the Israel inclusion.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Kirby, screaming in agony, was on his knees as officers ordered him to drop a knife, according to video.—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
15 May 2026
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The sight of a heart-and-soul player in agony on the ice, then being helped off it — by captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Stacey’s wife — was a shock.—
Hailey Salvian,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Becerra blunder The first ad that grabbed my attention was a quick-turn by San José Mayor and gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan (still stuck in single-digit polling numbers), who jumped on Xavier Becerra’s first major mess-up.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
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That way, the bristles can cling to your skincare products instead of dripping into the brush’s base and making a mess.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
14 May 2026
Noun
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Misprisions of this kind were more likely to occur, the experts argued, in religious settings marked by the rigorous policing of strict ethical injunctions or an emphasis on particular states of mind as markers of grace or perdition.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
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Sloth, after all, is a deadly sin, and it was often seen as the first step on the slippery slope to perdition.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The parallels between Ines’ dilemma and that of a nation being asked to lick its wounds in silence — in the name of moving on from past miseries — are present but elusive.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
14 May 2026
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There are fun bad teams, or teams that at least make a unique bonding experience out of their specific type of misery.—
Hanif Abdurraqib,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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