like hell

idiom

informal + impolite
1
: very much
My back hurts like hell.
2
: with a lot of energy and speed
We've been working like hell since morning.
3
: very bad
This place looks like hell.
4
used to say in an angry and forceful way that one will not do something, does not agree, etc.
"It's your fault!" "Like hell it is!"

Examples of like hell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Collins works like hell to get a uterine tamponade inserted to stop the bleeding. Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2025 Females are fighting it out, females are fighting like hell, females leave each other. Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Like hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like%20hell. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!