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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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 Compulsory worship with frightening dogma, which could lead you equally plausibly to heaven or hell. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 Lord knows, there are many reasons—funding, casting, development hell—that movies fail to get made. — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Vivian Wilson’s latest modeling job comes with layered jewelry, a crimson veil and a supporting cast of women mythology put through hell. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Queenie also visits her personal hell and the fates of LaLaurie and Laveau. — Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 22 Sep. 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
  • Four cars and two storage containers were damaged by the inferno, the fire department said.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • The crew use three tiers of flame bars behind Howell to spark the inferno that will snake through prom, fueled by the growing intensity of Carrie’s powers.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • That single choice unleashes a harrowing chain of strange and terrifying events in the dead of night, turning a simple gesture of kindness into a real-life nightmare.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Acceptance Soenen’s denial eventually gave way to panic attacks and nightmares.
    — Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • But until then, Kyiv needs to get ahead of Moscow and stop its ability to wreak aerial havoc.
    — Dmytro Kuleba, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Thousands sheltered on Monday in evacuation centres in the Thai capital, parts of it still flooded after havoc brought by intense weekend rain, while swelling reservoirs in an eastern province triggered orders for more to leave their homes.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • The film’s musical score, by Damon Albarn of Blur, has a haunting Bowie-like party-on-the-abyss shimmer.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Just beyond the marks, the abyss fell away for hundreds of feet.
    — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • When John reveals the Halogram to Kerry (after fair warning), the look on her face is a mix of shock and agony.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Burns, 28, dropped to the ground in agony on his 25th snap of the Giants’ narrow 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • This is just another mess for the WNBA, a terrible look for A'ja Wilson, and wildly unprofessional from Amazon Prime Video.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Rather than simply detecting physical obstacles, the system distinguishes between different types of messes and household objects to optimize cleaning strategies.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • The flames of perdition, fueled by guilt, estrangement, and repression, lap at society’s sham institutions and flimsy fronts of civility.
    — Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • On one page, tiny, antlike sinners tumbled down a cliff toward perdition.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of perdition
Noun
  • Cubs fans generally don’t care about the Sox, so their misery was focused solely on their team’s no-show performance at Petco Park.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The origin story helps contextualize the misery and self-isolation of Cathy’s later years, as the madam of a Salinas whorehouse.
    — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hell

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hell

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