as in determined
fully committed to achieving a goal
she's hell-bent on a career in show business and heaven help anyone who gets in her way
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell-bent (on or upon)
Adjective
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Authorities said the boy struck him while riding what was initially reported as an e-bike but was later determined to be an off-highway motorcycle — a vehicle not permitted on public roadways in California.—
Sydney Barragan,
Oc Register,
18 Apr. 2026 -
One of the five was an MIT professor killed at his doorstep by a former Portuguese classmate who was later determined to be the Brown University mass shooter.—
Anna Schecter,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unlike the director Tyler Perry, whose devotion to telling Black stories inspired him to build a parallel version of Hollywood in Atlanta, Fuqua has always been intent on succeeding within Hollywood itself.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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While its work was written, produced and performed largely by young Blacks from Detroit’s inner city, Gordy and Motown were intent on creating music for everyone, taking the earthy sounds of post-doo-wop R&B, giving them a melodic, commercial-friendly sheen and marketing them to the masses.—
Brian McCollum,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The Bucks County, Pennsylvania, grandmother, then 76, looked frail but resolute.—
Craig R. McCoy,
CNN Money,
24 Apr. 2026
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The Bucks County, Pennsylvania, grandmother, then 76, looked frail but resolute.—
Craig R. McCoy,
ProPublica,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Enforcement must be swift and decisive in removing fraudulent operators.—
Tom Koutsoumpas,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
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The same official also indicated that Lebanon’s president, Joseph Aoun, is not necessarily the decisive factor in these discussions, but Nabih Berri, speaker of the nation's House, is the one with true authority, not Aoun.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The defeat was a significant body blow to Arsenal’s aspirations, but City’s 1-0 victory over Burnley can strangely be viewed in a positive light for them.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Harbaugh seemed tense during his Friday press conference sitting next to GM Joe Schoen as the second round of the draft rolled on compared to a much more positive Thursday interview after the first round.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Hell-bent (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell-bent%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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