hellish

adjective

hell·​ish ˈhe-lish 

: 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

Their gathering at a secluded house quickly turns into a hellish reunion as the family members turn into Deadites. — Mya Copeland, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026

It‘s about you and me and getting through this god-awful, soul-sucking, mind-crushing hellish grind for the past two years. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

The hellish conditions triggered by the planet’s collision with the city-size space rock wiped out all other birds and dinosaurs, O’Connor noted. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

There’s a distinct vibe shift on September 10, which could send you on an unexpected short trip to connect one-on-one with someone, and in the most grumblingly mundane sense, could make for a day of hellish commutes. — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1530, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hellish

• relish
• embellish

Kids Definition

hellish

adjective

hell·​ish ˈhel-ish 

: of, resembling, or suitable to hell : infernal

hellishly adverb

hellishness noun