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
This vandal isn’t going to heaven — or hell.
—
Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
Having earned degrees in political science and history at Ohio’s Miami University, Nixon was arguably over-qualified to be a roots-rocking, hell-raising provocateur who somehow was embraced by MTV for several years and went on to become the host of several shows on Sirius XM Radio.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
What follows is not a quick montage of temporary setbacks, but a grinding legal odyssey through an all-too-familiar hell determined to make the already-struggling Amanda pay for someone else’s mistake.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Couldn’t have hell-yeah’d harder.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
Having earned degrees in political science and history at Ohio’s Miami University, Nixon was arguably over-qualified to be a roots-rocking, hell-raising provocateur who somehow was embraced by MTV for several years and went on to become the host of several shows on Sirius XM Radio.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Feb. 2026
What follows is not a quick montage of temporary setbacks, but a grinding legal odyssey through an all-too-familiar hell determined to make the already-struggling Amanda pay for someone else’s mistake.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Feb. 2026
Couldn’t have hell-yeah’d harder.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
-
The inferno destroyed most of the town of Paradise in Northern California and killed 85 people.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Like a blazing inferno, the riot spreads swiftly and suddenly.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Marco Bellocchio‘s six-episode Italian-language drama is a living nightmare of the past that doubles as an agonizing manifestation of the present — a potent reminder that widespread stupidity isn’t confined to a single time or place.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Because of the technology, all résumés and cover letters look the same, spelling a hiring nightmare for recruiters who are left to emphasize other parts of the hiring process to differentiate among candidates.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
America’s obsession with betting has created havoc for NBA players, who have faced a torrent of abuse from fans and spoken out publicly about it.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
With his size and strength, McDonald can regularly get into the backfield and create havoc.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Measure out the width of your appliance, cut it to that size, and then stuff it into the gapped area to stop items from disappearing into the abyss.—
Candace Madonna,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Darnold, still just 28, is back from the abyss and ascending.—
Jerry Brewer,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.—
Staff Photographer,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Latinx people of conscience recognize our own tios, tias, primos, primas, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers in the brown faces being livestreamed with blood and agony pouring into enraged mouths asking for help.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Ovens see a lot of messes from foods that spill onto the bottom or racks that can become burnt overtime the longer the messes sit and bake.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Robert’s large property borders a clear cut — a clearing where a pine thicket had been cut down in the summer of 2009 — leaving behind a mess of tree stumps and roots.—
Meghan O'Brien,
NBC news,
19 Feb. 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
-
Pecola responds to her misery by trying to undo herself.—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Sought book on prosecutorial misconduct In the bulk of his conversations, Nathan detailed the misery of jail life.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
