1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death
condemned to hell for their sins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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 hell
The summer movie season — hell, the movie industry — is in its horror era.
—
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 June 2026
For him and for a lot of artists and writers, seeing people experience your work in person—like being at a gallery opening with your own work on the walls and people spilling wine on it—is a kind of hell on earth.
—Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
The Miami duo’s electrifying, boundary-bending combination of Haitian kompa, underground rap, reggaeton, electro-pop, and baile funk is loud as hell and rich in egalitarian spirit.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
Dawn’s blood will open an interdimensional portal so Glory can get back to her hell dimension.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 June 2026
For him and for a lot of artists and writers, seeing people experience your work in person—like being at a gallery opening with your own work on the walls and people spilling wine on it—is a kind of hell on earth.
—Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
The Miami duo’s electrifying, boundary-bending combination of Haitian kompa, underground rap, reggaeton, electro-pop, and baile funk is loud as hell and rich in egalitarian spirit.
—Olivier Lafontant, Pitchfork, 9 June 2026
Dawn’s blood will open an interdimensional portal so Glory can get back to her hell dimension.
—ArsTechnica, 7 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
-
The complaints also allege that sparking or downed power lines exacerbated the inferno.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
-
That’s just in time for a firecracker-hot Independence Day holiday weekend, as Juliette has apparently survived season 2's airlock inferno thanks to her trusty fire-retardant suit and indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Nearly 70 million years ago, mosasaurs were the stuff of nightmares.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Tri-Star Pictures took heat for casting Santa Claus as a spree killer suffering from PTSD, and across the country, parents complained that the movie’s widespread marketing campaign was giving kids nightmares.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
11 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Though the Ducks created havoc in the Vegas crease with 30 seconds left and surrendered a chance at the buzzer, the third period ended scoreless to extend Saturday’s showdown.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
23 Nov. 2025
-
Astronomers have discovered that an aging red giant star has a closely orbiting stellar companion, which could be causing havoc to the star's processes.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
18 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
If there have been peaks and valleys in terms of social freedoms since 1979 (President Mohammad Khatami’s tenure being a higher point), Iranians are currently in an abyss.—
Joobin Bekhrad,
Time,
10 June 2026
-
The rescue team was able to pump enough water out of the system for four miners to crawl out of the muddy abyss on May 30, authorities said.—
Aicha El Hammar Castano,
ABC News,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
Elsha Rivera Missing persons is another type of case that causes agony for family members.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Dec. 2025
-
The skin infection was unheard of at the time, according to the outlet, who also reported that the king was in agony for two weeks before his death.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
9 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Trim overhanging limbs and relocate furniture to avoid popular bird perches that drop messes onto your patio.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
-
Three people are dead and she, a completely innocent party in this whole mess, is left holding the check.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
California policymakers continue to make laws and allow regulators to contrive rules that make California a land of perdition rather than destination for enterprise because they have been captured by left-of-center interests.—
Kerry Jackson,
Oc Register,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Most Falcons fans know the misery of what 28-3 means without even going through the whole story behind it.—
AJC Sports,
AJC.com,
11 June 2026
-
The Rays put the Red Sox out of their misery in two hours and 10 minutes.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
