1
b
Christian Science
: a state of thought in which sin and a belief in the mortal existence of humans is present : error sense 2b, sin
2
a
: a place or state of misery, torment, or wickedness
… war is hell!—
William T. Sherman
William T. Sherman
b
: a place or state of turmoil or destruction
all hell broke loose
d
: unrestrained fun or sportiveness
the kids were full of hell
—often used in the phrase for the hell of it especially to suggest action on impulse or without a serious motivedecided to go for the hell of it
e
: an extremely difficult or unpleasant and often inescapable situation
went through hell during their divorce
The pain has made her life a living hell.
Rush-hour traffic can be hell on earth.
3
archaic
: a tailor's receptacle
4
—used as an interjection
Hell, I don't know!
or as an intensivehurts like hell
funny as hell
no way in hell I'm going
—often used in the phrase hell of awas one hell of a good fight
or hell out ofscared the hell out of him
or with the or inmoved way the hell up north
what in hell is wrong, now?
Phrases
from hell
: being the worst or most dreadful of its kind
a vacation from hell
: very hard on or destructive to
the constant traveling is hell on your digestive system
: difficulties of whatever kind or size
will stand by her convictions come hell or high water
: dire consequences
if he's late there'll be hell to pay
—used interjectionally to express a lack of concern about consequences or risks
… it might cost him half his estate … but what the hell.—N. W. Aldrich born 1935
N. W. Aldrich born 1935Examples of hell in a Sentence
Getting the loan approved was pure hell.
He went through hell during his divorce.
She had to go through hell to get where she is today.
Living with the disease can be a hell on earth.
The pain has made her life a living hell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elf revenge for putting us through holiday hell.
—Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
In my favorite works of his, like A Case for the Existence of God and A Bright New Boise—a play that has its own surreal dynamic with television screens, which play images of hell in the middle of a big-box store—Hunter locates an unnerving mysticism in between the atoms of the hyper-real.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
And a scary little girl in a red dress is a hell of an image.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
But the karma has been hell to pay.
—Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
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Kimberlee Speakman, PEOPLE, 1 Nov. 2025
In my favorite works of his, like A Case for the Existence of God and A Bright New Boise—a play that has its own surreal dynamic with television screens, which play images of hell in the middle of a big-box store—Hunter locates an unnerving mysticism in between the atoms of the hyper-real.
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
And a scary little girl in a red dress is a hell of an image.
—Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
But the karma has been hell to pay.
—Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hell. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hell
noun1
: a place where souls are believed to survive after death
2
: the place or state of punishment for the wicked after death : the home of evil spirits
3
: a place or condition of misery or wickedness
4
: a place or state of great confusion, disorder, or destruction : havoc, pandemonium
5
: something that causes torment
especially
: a severe scolding
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