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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."
Examples of diabolical in a Sentence
Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
In a diabolical variation on the real hot-seat technique, students pelt each other with accusations before coming together in a group snuggle that’s at least as disturbing as the emotional—and sometimes physical—violence.
—Judy Berman, Time, 25 Sep. 2025
The black and-white film was playing on the wall again, the masked couple walking more quickly, backward now around the fountain, something diabolical in their smiles.
—Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
Greens are guarded with some diabolical sand traps, and the usually whipping wind forces you to plot every shot.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 11 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Diabolical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical. Accessed 15 Oct. 2025.
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diabolical
adjective
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