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
Like the frenzied conductor of a runaway train, Jack Nicholson and his devilish smile drive it all.
—
EW.com, 23 May 2025
Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there’s always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Florez Said Combs Had ‘devilish Stare’ After Altercation Israel Florez, then a security guard at the Los Angeles hotel where Combs attacked ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 in an incident captured on surveillance cameras, testified first at the trial.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
As the devilish Rusty Ryan, Brad Pitt is rarely seen without a snack in hand.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
EW.com, 23 May 2025
Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there’s always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side.
—Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 May 2025
Florez Said Combs Had ‘devilish Stare’ After Altercation Israel Florez, then a security guard at the Los Angeles hotel where Combs attacked ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 in an incident captured on surveillance cameras, testified first at the trial.
—Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
As the devilish Rusty Ryan, Brad Pitt is rarely seen without a snack in hand.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 3 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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As a Millennial what’s your take on Gen Z’s excessive use of exclamation points?—
Frank DiGiacomo,
Billboard,
9 June 2025
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Without legislative action this year to fix excessive insurance mandates, the entire peer-to-peer car sharing industry could disappear overnight.—
Al Sharpton,
New York Daily News,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Gale next donned a demonic doll suit as Chucky in Child's Play.—
Shania Russell,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
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Is a demonic doll touring the U.S. to blame for the mishaps in Louisiana?—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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Lois, no longer a promiscuous drag king, remains mischievous and irrepressible, even while getting pilloried on Fox News for leading a school workshop on gender identity.—
Charlie Tyson,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
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Each day in the world of Phineas and Ferb is filled with a fantastical invention or creation—and their big sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale) is still perpetually annoyed by their mischievous antics, and on a mission to expose their exploits to their mom, Linda Flynn-Fletcher.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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People who are staying with family members without a lease agreement, or who have inherited property informally, have long struggled to get federal help rebuilding after extreme weather, despite the fact that such families are less likely to have home insurance.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
5 June 2025
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In response, governments, NGOs, and the local people are striving to instill resilience into coastal communities, strengthen homes and infrastructure to better cope with extreme weather, and diversify incomes to mitigate the impact of a changing climate.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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By the end of the season, President George W. Bush arrives at the family’s doorstep, masquerading as Rumi’s friend while barely concealing his sinister intentions.—
Proma Khosla,
IndieWire,
2 June 2025
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Idyllic getaways unravel into haunting mysteries, exposing the sinister secrets lurking beneath sunlit shores, mountain retreats and bustling boardwalks; Jessica Biel narrates.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Robertson has a wicked release and high work rate, scoring 29 goals across the past two seasons despite seeing limited power-play time. 13.—
Chris Johnston,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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Silo is a wicked and bingeable slow burn with a tantalizing central mystery.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
26 May 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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Working with other young rappers—peers, not big brothers—yielded a looser, more playful Wayne who got to test his dexterity over popular instrumentals of the early aughts.—
Pitchfork,
Pitchfork,
6 June 2025
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The brown leather exterior means it can be dressed up with office clothes while its size and woven design are playful enough to work with casual looks like Birkenstocks, a tee, and loose jeans.—
Clint Davis,
People.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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