variants
also chthonian
as in infernal
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of chthonic
Aeacus, a judge of the dead, and Thanatos, winged daemon of death, are chthonic.
—
Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
That’s because the Greeks distinguished between Olympian gods, who lived on Mt. Olympus, and chthonic gods, who lived in the underworld.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
But Lloyd is less interested in the specifics of either work than in the chthonic rage underneath.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
And no one suffers quite like the True Believer; surrendering to optimism is an invitation for chthonic forces to start doling out a whole lot of emotional rump puntings.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Aug. 2024
Before the backdrop of a magmatic cavern stand three adventurers: a warrior, a mage, and a trickster who, with a roll of the dice, are preparing to defeat a tentacled chthonic beast.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2024
Lewis Hyde, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025
That’s because the Greeks distinguished between Olympian gods, who lived on Mt. Olympus, and chthonic gods, who lived in the underworld.
—Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025
But Lloyd is less interested in the specifics of either work than in the chthonic rage underneath.
—Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2024
And no one suffers quite like the True Believer; surrendering to optimism is an invitation for chthonic forces to start doling out a whole lot of emotional rump puntings.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 16 Aug. 2024
Before the backdrop of a magmatic cavern stand three adventurers: a warrior, a mage, and a trickster who, with a roll of the dice, are preparing to defeat a tentacled chthonic beast.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chthonic
Adjective
-
Linda Cardellini offers up a killer breakdown to the roaring chorus of the lawn guy’s infernal leaf blower.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
23 Mar. 2026
-
La Fontaine’s fable runs to 44 lines; after the infernal prologue, the remaining 40 sketch the fortunes of Hell’s two daughters.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Any pack rat knows that the best wardrobes are beautiful pieces of furniture that hide the hellish contents within.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
-
But there are also surreal, haunting touches – a pair of boots nailed to a tree; a dead man's return; a hellish horizon in flames – that show the past's grip on the imagination.—
David Morgan,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The secret to keeping it tasty and not sulfurous is to barely cook the broccoli.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
-
As a boy growing up in Port Arthur, Texas, an oil refinery town of sulfurous air, Rauschenberg often wore clothes his mother had patched together from assorted fabric scraps.—
Scott Cantrell,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Physica described the healing properties of plants, animal substances, and earthly elements.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Between exorcisms and moments of daily life, a universe is revealed where a complex balance exists between the magical and the earthly.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The morning of April 1, 1976, Moore announced on a BBC radio station that at 9:47 am, Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, creating the Jovian-Plutonian Gravitational Effect.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
31 Mar. 2016
-
His most recent discoveries, the two tiny Plutonian satellites, were named with the help of a popular vote.—
Nadia Drake,
WIRED,
15 July 2013
Cite this Entry
“Chthonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chthonic. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
