demonic

adjective

de·​mon·​ic di-ˈmä-nik How to pronounce demonic (audio)
dē-
variants or less commonly demonical
: of, relating to, or suggestive of a demon : fiendish
demonic cruelty
demonic laughter
demonically adverb

Examples of demonic in a Sentence

the villain in the movie cackled with demonic laughter
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.
The Context Annabelle is said to be possessed by a demonic entity and inspired the 2013 film The Conjuring. Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 July 2025 The Warrens are also famous for their investigation of a haunted house in Amityville, NY, and the 1980s Connecticut poltergeist case based on a Warren case, in which demonic possession was used unsuccessfully as a defense in a murder trial. Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 15 July 2025 In her almost 50 years in the role, Marlena’s trials and tribulations have included falling out of a window, hysterical amnesia, kidnapping, being targeted by serial killers, being replaced by an unhinged lookalike, and, most famously, two demonic possessions. Victoria Edel, People.com, 15 July 2025 On paper, it could be pitched as a Hungarian Blair Witch Project meets Insidious, using a faux-documentary device to explore a case of demonic possession among a group of outsiders living in the countryside. Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for demonic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin daemonicus, borrowed from Greek daemonikós, from daimon-, daímōn "superhuman power, spirit intermediate between gods and humans, demon" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of demonic was in 1642

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demonic. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!