hell

noun

ˈhel How to pronounce hell (audio)
Definition of hellnext
1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death condemned to hell for their sins

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness picking cotton under the hot summer sun was hell

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order all hell broke loose when the jury's verdict was announced

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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 hell For those who have endured it, the lottery curse is more akin to spending a few weeks of your life in celebrity hell. — Daniel De Visé, USA Today, 28 June 2026 Then Larry gets dropped in, and all hell breaks loose. — Maira Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026 The only thing that’s not authentic is Larry, then let that cause all hell to break loose. — Peter White, Deadline, 26 June 2026 Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat are about to go on a hell of a trip. — Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
  1. inferno
  2. nightmare
  3. havoc
  4. abyss
  5. agony
  6. mess
  7. perdition
  8. misery
Noun
  • Six days later, powerful Santa Ana winds kicked up smoldering embers that sparked one of Los Angeles’ most devastating infernos.
    — Char Miller, Time, 30 June 2026
  • But Grand Junction’s cloudless blue sky gave no hint of the inferno that continued to ravage the Colorado-Utah border less than an hour away.
    — Chelsea Bailey, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • Throughout the World Cup, videos have emerged on Instagram and TikTok of StubHub customers describing their nightmare experiences with the ticket-selling platform.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Nineties summer is based on the very real concern that 2026 summer is a nightmare of screens and microplastics.
    — Monica Hesse, Washington Post, 8 July 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • His counterpressing has been a major aid to the way the team plays, and Balogun’s ability to run in behind the lines and cause havoc in the box opens space and makes things easier for the attacking players around him.
    — Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • You’d be forgiven for thinking far fewer of the destructive predators are causing havoc, however.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • This genius gap filler blocks that area and prevents clutter from accumulating in the hard-to-reach abyss.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • While the Kings have plenty on the flank after the February addition of Artemi Panarin, Kuzmenko was a positive contributor when healthy and trusted last season, while their needs in the middle are less of a hole and more of an abyss.
    — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 28 June 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • Rojas said the earthquakes have caused agony for Venezuelan players, even those who didn’t lose family or friends.
    — Greg Beacham, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2026
  • There were the two calls in September, one about a detainee who lay on the floor holding his stomach in agony and unable to speak after swallowing an unknown object.
    — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • The coach inherited a mess and wiped the slate clean with 40-plus transfers.
    — Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 6 July 2026
  • Melting suet turns rancid fast and creates a mess of bird plumage.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 July 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Under cover of awkward teen dancing, the pair slipped into the library, riffled through the card catalog, and discovered, in addition to Soul on Ice, eight other volumes in PONY-U perdition.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • Sloth, after all, is a deadly sin, and it was often seen as the first step on the slippery slope to perdition.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of perdition
Noun
  • Nobody, save biblical Job, has had more misery hurled at them.
    — Alex Pulaski, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Salvador Perez added to Sanchez's misery with his 11th home run in the second.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 July 2026
Definition of misery

Phrases Containing hell

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heliports
hell
hellacious
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Cite this Entry

“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hell

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hell

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