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.
But why is Trump so hell-bent on annexing Greenland in the first place? Eric Lutz, Vanity Fair, 20 Jan. 2026 Trump has pioneered something new under the sun, a national government composed of minions that seems hell-bent on creating chaos. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026 Only the spinmeisters hell-bent on creating a totalitarian superstate do. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026 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 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 22 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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