hell-for-leather

1 of 2

adverb

hell-for-leath·​er ˈhel-fər-ˈle-ṯẖər How to pronounce hell-for-leather (audio)
Synonyms of hell-for-leathernext
: in a hell-for-leather manner : at full speed
rode hell-for-leather down the trail

hell-for-leather

2 of 2

adjective

: marked by determined recklessness, great speed, or lack of restraint
… a cocky, hell-for-leather fighting man.H. H. Martin

Examples of hell-for-leather in a Sentence

Adverb we ran hell-for-leather out of that spooky house Adjective having been behind for most of the race, the stock car driver made a hell-for-leather dash to the finish
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.
Adverb
The plot thickens further when Bundle, driving hell-for-leather down a country lane, comes across someone lying in the middle of the road. Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

1889, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hell-for-leather was in 1889

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Cite this Entry

“Hell-for-leather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hell-for-leather. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.

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