Synonyms of hell-bentnext
: stubbornly and often recklessly determined or intent
hell-bent on winning
hell-bent adverb

Examples of hell-bent in a Sentence

she's hell-bent on a career in show business and heaven help anyone who gets in her way
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.
All except librarian Elaine Ambrose, hell-bent on protecting the British Museum’s artifacts from the Blitz yet somehow connected to the sorceress Nimue, herself a protector of a certain mythical sword. Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026 After President Woodrow Wilson committed US forces to the Great War in April 1917, Quentin grew hell-bent on serving as a fighter pilot. Fiona Donovan, Vanity Fair, 30 Dec. 2025 While new-generation business pods like TBPN are gaining attention for making a game out of the power scramble among market elites, count on Odd Lots stubbornly insists on substance in a media economy hell-bent on dumbing things down. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Dec. 2025 At 25, when half her friends ran off to marry well and the other half were hell-bent on climbing the corporate ladder, Bizu found herself in the middle, unsure whether to pursue a boyfriend or a business plan. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hell-bent

Word History

First Known Use

1731, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hell-bent was in 1731

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Cite this Entry

“Hell-bent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hell-bent. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

hell-bent

adjective
-ˌbent
: stubbornly and often recklessly determined
hell-bent on revenge

More from Merriam-Webster on hell-bent

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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