1
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
that's a devilish amount of bad luck for any person to have to endure
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit
a devilish plan to sabotage the other party's political convention
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3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a devilish grin that told us he was up to something
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devilish
The season finale of Marvel Television’s Ironheart introduced — at long last, after four-and-a-half years of teases — the devilish baddie that is Mephisto, as played by Sacha Baron Cohen.
—
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 3 July 2025
Disney’s 20th Century Studios confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing only a teaser of two devilish red pumps.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
The devilish reality, as always, is in the details, and the ‘sustainable fashion’ movement at large has claimed ‘intent’ as ‘action’ for years.
—Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Courtney is a devilish delight as nutso Aussie fisherman and tourist guide Tucker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 3 July 2025
Disney’s 20th Century Studios confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing only a teaser of two devilish red pumps.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
The devilish reality, as always, is in the details, and the ‘sustainable fashion’ movement at large has claimed ‘intent’ as ‘action’ for years.
—Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Courtney is a devilish delight as nutso Aussie fisherman and tourist guide Tucker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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Whether your hair is naturally dry or parched from excessive color treatments and heat styling, brittle strands are a stubborn bummer.—
Annie Blackman,
Glamour,
14 July 2025
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The weather service predicts that parts of Maryland remain at risk for excessive rainfall and the potential for flash floods.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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But when her daughter Dylan morphs from typical teen acting-out to disturbing behavior, Brigid can think of only one explanation: demonic possession.—
Natalie Zutter
August 1,
Literary Hub,
1 Aug. 2025
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McMahon's demonic character Cole Turner on the WB fantasy series was a longtime love interest for Milano's character Phoebe Halliwell.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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Fargo has an absurdist streak a mile wide and a sense of cosmic comeuppance that suggests the strings are being pulled by a mischievous trickster-god with a mean streak.—
Tanya Melendez,
EW.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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The cat's clumsy adventure quickly charmed viewers who recognized the mischievous nature of felines.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This surge in extreme heat drives up energy demand and poses serious health risks to vulnerable populations.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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Alternatively, aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) technology offers long-term stability and reliable performance, even under extreme workloads, and continues to improve over time.—
Baratunde Cola,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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He’s replaced talk of sinister tech monopolies with embracing Big American Tech, largely refashioned as Big American AI.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
28 July 2025
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Initially, it was suspected that Brewster had been hit by a car, but X-rays revealed a far more sinister truth: Brewster had been shot, leaving him with a severely fractured front leg.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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Similarly, a text grappling with a wicked problem shouldn’t stay limited by the narrow confines of literary genre, instead blending journalism, memoir, fiction, and narrative nonfiction.—
Melody Glenn
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
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Stinging and 'wicked' Asian needle ants are spreading across the US Are invasive tawny crazy ants in Ohio?—
Kim Luciani,
The Enquirer,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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If 51% of the population is being so underserved, the ratio to opportunity is insane.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Both players enjoyed some playful banter during the game.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
29 July 2025
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Many designs incorporate bold color accents, vibrant greens, reds, yellows, and blues by adding a playful contrast to the metals.—
Essence,
Essence,
29 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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