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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Send Help is the first movie gem of 2026, a devilish treat and welcome respite from the real world.
—
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Below, Park gets into the devilish debauchery of Mary Todd Lincoln.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Both of the above are essential to the show’s endgame, ensuring that a sequence of unhinged kickers ostensibly meant to be devilish fun instead come across as mean-spirited and exploitative.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
And the drinks really are devilish good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Jan. 2026
Below, Park gets into the devilish debauchery of Mary Todd Lincoln.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
Both of the above are essential to the show’s endgame, ensuring that a sequence of unhinged kickers ostensibly meant to be devilish fun instead come across as mean-spirited and exploitative.
—Judy Berman, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
And the drinks really are devilish good.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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The author emphasizes that the library book controversy—central to the group’s identity—was excessive and poorly conceived.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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Ed Masley Weather can make all the difference at an outdoor music festival, as anyone who’s shivered through a cold and rainy night to see their favorite band (or couldn’t take selfies because their smartphone powered down to save itself from the excessive heat) can tell you.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The second is the Jinu Demon foil card from the Saja Boys Breakfast Meal, which shows the popular male character in his demonic form.—
Jason Hidalgo,
The Providence Journal,
6 Apr. 2026
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If new-age music is angelic but unbeholden to any religious dogma, Sunn O))) is demonic in the same way.—
Daniel Bromfield,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fierce in expression but controlled in form, the 1959 LP draws out a rootsy warmth from beneath the bebop that had consumed bandstands since World War II, forging a sound that feels at once confrontational, mischievous, and generous.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
4 Apr. 2026
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And then, a massive, mischievous grin.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But that was extreme, that was a different level.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
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Say goodbye to back pain and sore muscles with the Chirp Wheel XR 3-Pack, your at-home toolkit for extreme relief.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Noblezada stepped into the role of the tragically vivacious nightclub singer Sally Bowles, but rather than playing her unlikely lover Cliff, Carney was cast as the impishly sinister Emcee of the Kit Kat Club.—
Carey Purcell,
Vogue,
8 Apr. 2026
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Distracted balances its celeb soiree with Southern California’s sinister edge, the malaise and monotony that can make sunny days so alienating.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Offensively, the Cubs didn’t do much against Guardians starter Joey Cantillo, armed with a wicked changeup, and the Cleveland bullpen.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And leading the country is a megalomaniac — Anthony Starr’s always riveting Homelander — who might be going insane.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
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By any normal corporate logic, this was an insane thing to promise.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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At its core, DTF is an apt, idiosyncratic portrait of the male-loneliness epidemic and the diabolical advent of dating technology in the 21st century.—
Andy Andersen,
Vulture,
6 Apr. 2026
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How dare Netflix make such a diabolical announcement on a random Tuesday in March.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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