HELLISH Synonyms: 100 Similar and Opposite Words

hellish

adjective

Definition of hellish

as in horrible

of, resembling, or befitting hell We've been having hellish weather lately. The battlefield was a hellish scene of death and destruction.

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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 hellish There’s a vampire and wellness cult, a hellish basement and a bloodthirsty talking cat. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 14 June 2026 In full widescreen dark hellish color palettes we are taken to the Celtic fringe of 1247 AD, where Sarnoski proceeds to destroy any previous cinematic incarnation of the legendary Robin Hood and smash it to bits. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 11 June 2026 Without it, the film would be even more hellish. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 20 May 2026 But that doesn’t make watching Her Private Hell any less hellish. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hellish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hellish

Adjective

The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.

— Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Aemond raves about his horrible older brother who spent their youth tormenting him.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026

Definition of horrible

Adjective

The optics of continuing to play a seven-day tournament for roughly $4 million in prize money at the same event where men were playing across 12 days for up to $12 million would have been awful.

— Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 25 July 2026
From Jeffrey’s team, Chloe’s remade dress, with an off-the-shoulder top and an awful mesh corset patch tied with a blue ribbon, is universally hated by the judges.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 July 2026

Definition of awful

Adjective

The runners-up/winners of the last Africa Cup of Nations had two dreadful implosions, first against Norway in the group stage before a bizarre collapse when facing Belgium in the round of 32.

— Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
The novel’s climax—a sequence defined by reality-shattering magical spectacle—is narrated by one character to another over FaceTime, a dreadful decision that deflates the entire story.

— Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 20 July 2026

Definition of dreadful

Adjective

This mixture of raucous comedy and unusually vivid war scenes was considered quite shocking for its time.

— Tim Page, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026
The first story was set in the 1980s while the second volume, recently wrapped, was set in the 1990s, at the dawn of the Internet age and culminated with a shocking finale that left readers’ jaws on the forest floor.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2026

Definition of shocking

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“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hellish. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of hellish

adjective

Example Sentences

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