as in horrible
of, resembling, or befitting hell
We've been having hellish weather lately. The battlefield was a hellish scene of death and destruction.
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Recent Examples of hellish
This is going to be a hellish legislative session — again — for many Florida lawmakers.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, in the distance, a camera flash lit up a hellish sight—wreathed in the smoke from village fires, a great black pipe organ, as tall as the houses on either side, heaved and rolled across the square.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Nov. 2025
This opening is riveting, but that’s just the beginning of this exciting novel, which follows as Smith is forced to navigate a hellish legal system in the unrealistic hope of clearing his name, all while reckoning with the public response to the mysterious death of his roommate and best friend.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellish
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, in the distance, a camera flash lit up a hellish sight—wreathed in the smoke from village fires, a great black pipe organ, as tall as the houses on either side, heaved and rolled across the square.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Nov. 2025
This opening is riveting, but that’s just the beginning of this exciting novel, which follows as Smith is forced to navigate a hellish legal system in the unrealistic hope of clearing his name, all while reckoning with the public response to the mysterious death of his roommate and best friend.
—Ana Osorno, Them., 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hellish
Adjective
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Miami is now 27-26, still mired in play-in territory, entering today’s matinee at horrible Washington.—
Greg Cote
February 8,
Miami Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
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A lot of things have happened with regard to that horrible situation the last couple of hours.—
Kathy Tulumello,
AZCentral.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Bowing to popular demand, Fennell’s lackluster film doesn’t really bother with the stylistic flourishes of the source — this is really just the Cathy and Heathcliffe show, two awful people competing to destroy each other and threatening to take us to hell with them into the bargain.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
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In a stroke of awful timing, Devonta’s grandfather also dies during filming.—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Pats were a dreadful 4-13 each of the previous two seasons.—
Greg Cote
January 26,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2026
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Many travelers at Detroit Metro Airport are packing some extra patience with much uncertainty at the gate due to the nationwide dreadful winter weather.—
Julia Avant,
CBS News,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The hideous curbside piles of frozen slush blocking New York City streets have a name.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
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That this hideous crime was executed by 15-year-old young adults is horrifying.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Similarly the vulnerability of Nancy Guthrie, an elderly woman described as having mobility problems, as a possible victim of a violent crime, is sickening and deeply uncomfortable.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
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To many of those who knew what went on inside the structure, the spectacle was sickening.—
Gisela Salim-Peyer,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman entered the city’s crowded mayoral race on Saturday, marking a shocking and last-minute move to challenge longtime ally Mayor Karen Bass after previously endorsing the mayor.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
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What began with the unconstitutional targeting of law firms, universities, and non-partisan civil servants has advanced to ICE’s shocking and deadly street-level assaults.—
Chris Mattei,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hellish. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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