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
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Recent Examples of hellish
The wrinkle in this case is that many remember 2016 both as a hellish tragedy and the last gasp of anything like normality.
—
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
This is going to be a hellish legislative session — again — for many Florida lawmakers.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, in the distance, a camera flash lit up a hellish sight—wreathed in the smoke from village fires, a great black pipe organ, as tall as the houses on either side, heaved and rolled across the square.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellish
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 18 Jan. 2026
This is going to be a hellish legislative session — again — for many Florida lawmakers.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Then, in the distance, a camera flash lit up a hellish sight—wreathed in the smoke from village fires, a great black pipe organ, as tall as the houses on either side, heaved and rolled across the square.
—Veronique Greenwood, Time, 21 Dec. 2025
Schedules of actors suddenly became hellish.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hellish
Adjective
-
Aston Villa 2-1 Leeds Brentford vs Brighton Brighton are playing better than a horrible run of results — one win, six draws, and six defeats in their last 13 Premier League games — suggests.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Probably one of the scenes where Stephen does horrible things to women.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Whatever’s awful right now is legit awful.—
Sarah Hepola,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Regardless of how embarrassing, personal, awful, unacceptable things are.—
Joe Rexrode,
New York Times,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
WilFiks Stand Up Weed Puller Tool While necessary to maintain a tidy-looking yard, weeding is a dreadful task that few actually enjoy.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
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What a disappointment to have something so joyous tarnished by a dreadful reality where women are being belittled & disrespected for existing.—
Doha Madani,
NBC news,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The 4chan logic that turned even the most hideous news and ideas into empty entertainment pervades everything on the internet now—more proof that lol, nothing matters.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
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The hideous curbside piles of frozen slush blocking New York City streets have a name.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At the bottom of the Olympia delle Tofane slope, in the grandstands about 2,000 feet below, there was nothing but a sickening silence after Vonn’s crash.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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The rest of us could only imagine Randall’s sickening embarrassment at needing to testify at the trial.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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While Dunk emerged victorious in the trial, the battle was not without bloodshed and deaths, including a shocking one no one saw coming.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
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Saturday’s loss was neither KU’s biggest home loss, nor the most shocking, of the Self era.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
21 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hellish. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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