1
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit
a fiendish delight in playing cruel tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
shook with fiendish laughter as he watched his victims writhe in agony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 fiendish
The soloist in the Sibelius was a mediocre violinist ill-equipped to deal with the concerto’s profound emotions and fiendish technical demands.
—
Luis Palomares,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Jim Carrey plays the eponymous Grinch, a fiendish Whoville outlaw who declares war on the festive season.
—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Nov. 2025
Next up is Pagli, a madwoman with a thin, charred body, fiendish laugh, and ghoulish shrieks.
—
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of Fugue is a fiendish work of near-mythical status.
—
Genevieve Marks,
Air Mail,
25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiendish
Luis Palomares,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2026
Jim Carrey plays the eponymous Grinch, a fiendish Whoville outlaw who declares war on the festive season.
—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Nov. 2025
Next up is Pagli, a madwoman with a thin, charred body, fiendish laugh, and ghoulish shrieks.
—
JSTOR Daily,
30 Oct. 2025
Johann Sebastian Bach’s The Art of Fugue is a fiendish work of near-mythical status.
—
Genevieve Marks,
Air Mail,
25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fiendish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiendish
Adjective
-
Carlson has spoken of his own brush with demonic forces, who left him bloodied and scratched in the night, while his wife and their four spaniels slept undisturbed.
-
When their biggest demonic enemy (Lee Byung-hun) encourages the formation of an equally popular K-pop boy band aimed at stealing the souls of their fans, the trio has to fight harder than ever to hold the demons at bay while keeping their friendship intact.
Adjective
-
The New York Mets are in disarray thanks to a brutal start to what was supposed to be a promising season.
-
In 1972, a year after a brutal conflict—one in which India helped with the rebirth of the eastern wing of Pakistan as Bangladesh—New Delhi and Islamabad concluded an agreement that resumed limited trade.
Adjective
-
Disclosure Day sees Daniel (O'Connor) and Margaret (Blunt) racing to evade the sinister Wardex corporation with the ultimate goal of disclosure.
-
Over the past decade, Pride Nights have morphed into something much larger, radical and sinister, in my opinion.
Adjective
-
Swift moved on from one Brit to the next, quietly dating actor Joe Alwyn from 2017 to 2023, while the world spent back-to-back cruel summers without Taymerica.
-
This is particularly gratifying given the absurd and cruel trolling the young actress received from the toxic corners of internet fandom leading up to the film’s release.
Adjective
-
From perhaps the most diabolical spot on the entire course.
-
The diabolical reality of growth.
Adjective
-
That’s still high, but moves downward mean less chance of a vicious cycle where expectations for higher inflation drive changes in behavior that create higher inflation.
-
That’s still high, but moves downward mean less chance of a vicious cycle where expectations for higher inflation drive changes in behavior that create higher inflation.
Adjective
-
He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame.
-
Johnson said the bill was meant to curtail malicious records requests, which do happen, where a citizen goes after copious amounts of records just to be a jerk and cost the government time and money.
Adjective
-
For my microgeneration, the disillusionment crept in with the savage failure of the Iraq War.
-
Set in the fictional lands of Westeros, House of the Dragon depicts a savage succession struggle within House Targaryen and a resulting civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Cite this Entry
“Fiendish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiendish. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
