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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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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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 six years and five seasons, Netflix’s treasure-hunting drama Outer Banks has put its North Carolina teens through absolute hell just to keep viewers hooked. — Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 Desperate to believe his life is about to change, Tommy steals Wayne’s car and begins driving his band from Kansas City to Los Angeles, hell bent on getting there in three days. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 Even in states that have an early season, some hunters completely avoid the lush hell of September woods and the corresponding mosquitoes, black flies and Indian summer heat. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Several of his Hollywood projects in recent years haven’t panned out or remain in development hell. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 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
  • An arson suspect’s rallying cry sparks furor A 30-year-old forklift driver is accused of livestreaming the massive Kimberly-Clark warehouse blaze in Ontario, turning a $500-million toilet paper inferno into a viral protest over wages and capitalism.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Hiding underneath a desk in a classroom was an 8-foot python, which fire officials say started the inferno.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • Anaheim’s long nightmare is over, writes columnist Gustavo Arellano.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • In outline, these are elegant Bond-villain machines for faceless, leaderless, pervasive espionage and assassination, the stuff of paranoid nightmares and stochastic violence.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • Although not a direct hit, Lala dumped nearly 3 feet of rain on the Big Island, bringing widespread havoc.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • In the movie, a group of teens accidentally release a bunch of monsters from Stine’s book collection, creating complete havoc and plenty of great family-friendly frights.
    — Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • That abyss, by the way, has spit out 19 seniors being selected to the Hall in the last seven years.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • More than anything, the problem lies in the execution — as an absolutely catastrophic event effectively ejects Coulter and Fetters’ main character from his own story and into the abyss of early 2000s political turmoil.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • In a world where women endure the impossible to bring new life into the world—holding agony and beauty all at once—shouldn’t women be celebrated for more than just their idealized form and youth?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • Plus, don’t miss out on handy finds like this handheld vacuum that makes quick work of small messes in tight spaces and an insulated Yeti tumbler that keeps water cold all day long.
    — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026
  • One of Amy’s charges is a mess of a young mother who has had all three of her children taken away from her by the state.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • On one page, tiny, antlike sinners tumbled down a cliff toward perdition.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of perdition
Noun
  • Illinoisans should demand state investments that serve struggling communities, instead of needlessly expanding the misery of our prison system.
    — Joan Steffen, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
  • At one point, a man placed a hand on Bibendum’s shoulder and led him offstage, as if to be put out of his misery.
    — Ruby Tandoh, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hell

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hell

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