hellacious

adjective

hel·​la·​cious ˌhe-ˈlā-shəs How to pronounce hellacious (audio)
1
: exceptionally powerful or violent
2
: remarkably good
3
: extremely difficult
4
: extraordinarily large
hellaciously adverb

Examples of hellacious in a Sentence

Traffic is hellacious this time of day. the hellacious heat was more than we could bear
Recent Examples on the Web This is shaping up to be a hellacious summer, even by Lone Star standards. Chris Morris, Fortune, 9 May 2024 After a hellacious heavyweight feud between two of rap’s top superstars, Kendrick Lamar and Drake, the court of public opinion seems poised to announce the Compton MC as the victor. Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 7 May 2024 The Dubs’ upcoming stretch is, in a word, hellacious. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Icon of the Seas is neither hellacious, horrendous, impersonal, monstrous nor lumbering. David Dickstein, Orange County Register, 2 Feb. 2024 Saban had turned another national stage into a disaster, a vast abyss of icy winds and hellacious fury. Tyler R. Tynes, Los Angeles Times, 2 Jan. 2024 This was not the hellacious veggieburger of ancient times. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 1 Sep. 2023 After a first season that included contestants being blindfolded while driving in a crash course, repelling down buildings, and swimming hundreds of yards to solve puzzles, the new season is already off to a hellacious start. Keith Nelson, Men's Health, 17 Aug. 2023 The pair becomes an effective duo, navigating a wild car chase through Rome in a tiny Fiat and a hellacious train trip on the Orient Express. USA TODAY, 10 July 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hellacious.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

hell + -acious (as in audacious)

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellacious was in 1929

Dictionary Entries Near hellacious

Cite this Entry

“Hellacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellacious. Accessed 15 May. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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