a devil of
idiom
informal
: very difficult or causing a lot of trouble
The new regulations have created a devil of a problem for many small businesses.
He had a devil of a time getting another job.
Examples of a devil of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Photo: andrew caballero-reynolds/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Over the years the Chinese private-equity firm Bohai Harvest Rosemont had a devil of a time trying to explain what role Hunter Biden played in the enterprise.
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James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2023
In spite of their often moving narratives, startling imagery and millions of fans around the world, Hollywood has had a devil of a time trying to turn even the most popular games into creatively and commercially successful films and TV shows.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2023
Those vehicles stuck in the faster lanes are all having a devil of a time.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2021
That being said, the cars are challenging to drive, not least because anyone even closely approaching six feet in height will have a devil of a time folding themselves into the cockpit.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2021
Life can be a real witch or a devil of a good time.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2020
Despite all the reasons for chucking the change, lawmakers have had a devil of a time doing it.
—Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
James Freeman, WSJ, 27 Sep. 2023
In spite of their often moving narratives, startling imagery and millions of fans around the world, Hollywood has had a devil of a time trying to turn even the most popular games into creatively and commercially successful films and TV shows.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2023
Those vehicles stuck in the faster lanes are all having a devil of a time.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 23 Dec. 2021
That being said, the cars are challenging to drive, not least because anyone even closely approaching six feet in height will have a devil of a time folding themselves into the cockpit.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2021
Life can be a real witch or a devil of a good time.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 Oct. 2020
Despite all the reasons for chucking the change, lawmakers have had a devil of a time doing it.
—Krista Kafer, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'a devil of.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“A devil of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20devil%20of. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
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