as in hell
a state in which everything is out of order
it looks like heck in that boy's bedroom
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Recent Examples of heck
The Blue Jackets will need a heck of a run over their final 31 games to end the franchise’s five-year playoff drought.
—
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Is there any polite way to figure out what the heck happened (and if maybe cards did get lost)?
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
And having the comfort to hand off sure as heck wouldn’t hurt.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Micah Parsons had a heck of a season for the Packers, all right, collecting All-Pro honors despite missing three games after blowing out his knee.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heck
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
Is there any polite way to figure out what the heck happened (and if maybe cards did get lost)?
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
And having the comfort to hand off sure as heck wouldn’t hurt.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2026
Micah Parsons had a heck of a season for the Packers, all right, collecting All-Pro honors despite missing three games after blowing out his knee.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for heck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heck
Noun
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If all goes to hell and America devolves into a rank dictatorship, beware the bootlicker.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
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This feels more like early Game of Thrones, when Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) was still cracking wise and not everything had gone to hell.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The weather was already causing havoc in the air — with about 1,000 flight disruptions at CLT airport — and on the ground, with State Highway Patrol handling over 175 wrecks so far.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Jan. 2026
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In any case, the Chiefs’ self-evaluation this offseason is sure to focus on how the team can create more havoc — while also getting back to the production of past seasons when creating big plays was more the norm.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Ideally, provide a range of low-mess snacks that can easily be eaten during gameplay, or take dedicated food breaks throughout the game so your game tiles don’t get covered with food.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2026
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Republicans are publicly calling for the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and privately freaking out that her Minnesota mess will doom their chances of holding Congress in the 2026 midterms.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
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Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Heck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heck. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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