1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death
condemned to hell for their sins
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of hell
For centuries, readers have preferred the horrors of hell to the perfection of heaven.
—
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
In other words, who knows what fresh hell awaits us next year.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Wolfgang Güllich, the great German climber who first free soloed the quintessential Yosemite roof climb Separate Reality in 1986, is pictured shirtless in red-and-white striped leggings, ripped as all hell, his shaggy mullet and mustache upgrading the photo to unforgettable.
—Jesse Klein, Outside, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
In other words, who knows what fresh hell awaits us next year.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Wolfgang Güllich, the great German climber who first free soloed the quintessential Yosemite roof climb Separate Reality in 1986, is pictured shirtless in red-and-white striped leggings, ripped as all hell, his shaggy mullet and mustache upgrading the photo to unforgettable.
—Jesse Klein, Outside, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
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But the inferno nevertheless destroyed the homes of his son and daughter, who are 26 and 29.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
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The Los Angeles Fire Department made the decision to physically move the command post down Pacific Coast Highway and away from the Palisades because the inferno threatened to overtake their location.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Fallibility is written into our genetic code, and refereeing is basically a nightmare now for everyone involved.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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But more than just a topical procedural thriller, the film also plays out like a Kafka novel about endless invasions of privacy and assumptions of malicious intent that converge to form a modern nightmare.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Christian Barmore created a little more havoc against the run and pass than usual, but his only pressure was contained to the second quarter.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
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Dewan shared Fillion's sense of the havoc Monica is likely to cause in season 8.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Some players should be allowed to spin their wheels in the abyss, so if that’s what Antetokounmpo wants to do, then let him.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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Kicked out, Eleven and Kali head to the abyss instead, joining the others to fight Vecna there.—
Yohana Desta,
Rolling Stone,
4 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
7 Jan. 2026
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Rachel Vorona Cote,
The Atlantic,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Second shift is a real mess after a blackout strikes the area, forcing Robert (by way of the player) to hack into the city’s electric grid and turn the lights back on one section at a time.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
7 Nov. 2025
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For larger messes, the stain-resistant rug is also machine-washable for quick and hassle-free maintenance.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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Mamdani, 34, is a charismatic socialist who has limited experience in the private sector and seems utterly unconcerned about his guiding philosophy’s long track record of creating misery.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Beyond the outright annihilation of people and the considerable trauma that brought onto people, leftist regimes inflicted considerable misery in myriad other ways.—
Sal Rodriguez,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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