hellish

adjective

Definition of hellishnext
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.

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Therefore, a compass on the hellish planet would be as useless as one on the Moon. — Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 21 Feb. 2025 There's still 73 Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in those same hellish tunnels. — Destinee Adams, NPR, 17 Feb. 2025 Ku-DiPietro passed with a lowly 67.7% accuracy, with that figure dropping further to a hellish 66.6% in the attacking half and 62.6% in the final third. — Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 14 Feb. 2025 Not one dollar of capital can be raised while Gaza is a hellish war zone. — David Friedman, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hellish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hellish
  1. horrible
  2. awful
  3. dreadful
  4. hideous
  5. sickening
  6. shocking
Adjective
  • The tech giant had a horrible week, off nearly 11% in the period despite Friday’s relief bounce.
    — Pia Singh, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2025
  • This is really happening and these horrible things are happening and that this person doesn't want to be happening.
    — Patrick Gomez, EW.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • The Fairfield County corridor is infamously awful, according to Potamkin Hyundai, with the Stamford stretch recently ranking as the number one busiest highway segment in the entire country.
    — Staff report, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2025
  • But Ovechkin has been scoring 50 goals (a season) for an awful long time now.
    — Homero De la Fuente, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of awful
Adjective
  • Crochet enjoyed a breakout season in an otherwise dreadful year for the 121-loss White Sox, posting a 3.58 ERA with 209 strikeouts and just 33 walks across 32 starts.
    — D.J. Short, NBC News, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Conditions for the civilians remaining in areas occupied by Russia are often dreadful.
    — Dave Lawler, Axios, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of dreadful
Adjective
  • The Wild played a hideous third period, and the Blues got two more goals from Kyrou.
    — Michael Russo, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Just to give one small example: early on in the movie Bernice, who spends most of the story bedridden watching shopping channels, spots a hideous piece of clothing being advertised on television.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of hideous
Adjective
  • There’s a sickening, satisfying weight behind each strike here, especially with the sprays of blood when Matt repeatedly throws one goon against the wobbling refrigerator.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 4 Mar. 2025
  • It was announced shortly before Feb. 14, which marked seven years since the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland and as our newspapers remain filled with tragic and preventable homicides caused by irresponsible gun owners, this move is sickening.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • The opening day of NFL free agency began with some shocking moves and key additions.
    — Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Best Player Prop Bets Delaware's John Camden has been the hero of this shocking run, with 13 made threes in his team's four CAA Tournament wins.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of shocking

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“Hellish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hellish. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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