diabolical
adjective
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Like the word devil, "diabolical" traces back to Latin diabolus, which itself descends from Greek diabolos, a word that literally means "slanderer." In English, "diabolical" has many nuances of meaning. It can describe the devil himself (as in "my diabolical visitor") or anything related to or characteristic of him in appearance, behavior, or thought; examples include "diabolical lore," "a diabolical grin," and "a diabolical plot." In British slang, "diabolical" can also mean "disgraceful" or "bad," as in "the food was diabolical."
Synonyms of diabolical
Examples of diabolical in a Sentence
Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
A lot of disturbing things happened in The Exorcist — Regan MacNeil's 360 neck turn remains one of the most diabolical things to happen on film — and for its innovations, the 1973 movie scored 10 Oscar nominations.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
Payton, though, had a diabolical third-down call in his pocket.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
The protagonist’s diabolical plot is fuelled by an unmanageable tangle of emotions, including raging jealousy, mercenary self-interest, and resentment of Eileen’s professional and intellectual accomplishments, which sparks shame at her own cosseted frivolity.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for diabolical
Cite this Entry
“Diabolical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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diabolical
adjective
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