hellish

adjective

hell·​ish ˈhe-lish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
: of, resembling, or befitting hell
broadly : terrible
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

Examples of hellish in a Sentence

We've been having hellish weather lately. The battlefield was a hellish scene of death and destruction.
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.
Akatsuki spent a decade orbiting the planet and was well beyond its design lifetime when its mission ended, giving unprecedented looks at the hellish atmosphere of Venus. Elizabeth Howell, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025 Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2025 Come for the downward spiral of hellish despair, stay for macabre goat Black Phillip and the ominous climax. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025 Poor Rosemary is tricked by those closest to her through what is quite literally a hellish pregnancy, culminating in an unforgettable ending and an enduring performance from a wide-eyed Farrow. Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hellish

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellish was circa 1530

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Cite this Entry

“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellish. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

hellish

adjective
hell·​ish ˈhel-ish How to pronounce hellish (audio)
: of, resembling, or suitable to hell : infernal
hellishly adverb
hellishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on hellish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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