the Devil

1 of 2

noun (1)

: the most powerful spirit of evil in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam who is often represented as the ruler of hell

the devil

2 of 2

noun (2)

informal

1

—used to make a statement or question more forceful

What the devil are you talking about?

Where the devil have you been?

2

: something that is very difficult or that causes a lot of trouble

The shoes look great, but they're the devil to walk in.

Examples of the Devil in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Mephistopheles, dispatched by the Devil to serve Faustus, can’t help getting the better of his mortal master, like an infernal Jeeves—or, more to the point, like a handler in the intelligence racket, running an anxious agent in the field. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

Aside from Late Night with the Devil, Dastmalchian has appeared in Oppenheimer, Dune and Apple TV+'s Murderbot series. —Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025

Noun

The area’s storied ship and plane disappearances have sparked urban legends, earning it the ominous nickname of the Devil’s Triangle. —Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025

So much of Queen’s life in Between the Devil is without her permission—the move from Los Angeles, the work, the abandoning of a degree. —Diana Arterian august 21, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025

Rhymes for the Devil

• daredevil
• sublevel
• bevel
• level
• mediaeval
• multilevel