hellish

adjective

hell·​ish ˈhe-lish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
Synonyms of hellishnext
: of, resembling, or befitting hell
broadly : terrible
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

Examples of hellish in a Sentence

We've been having hellish weather lately. The battlefield was a hellish scene of death and destruction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Without it, the film would be even more hellish. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2026 It’s been a hellish week across South Florida. — Kairi Lowery, Miami Herald, 18 June 2026 But that doesn’t make watching Her Private Hell any less hellish. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026 There’s a vampire and wellness cult, a hellish basement and a bloodthirsty talking cat. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hellish

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellish was circa 1530

Rhymes for hellish

See All Rhymes for hellish

Browse Nearby Words

hellion
hellish
hellkite
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellish. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

hellish

adjective
hell·​ish ˈhel-ish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
: of, resembling, or suitable to hell : infernal
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hellish

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for hellish

Nglish: Translation of hellish for Spanish Speakers

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