devilish

adjective

ˈde-vᵊl-ish How to pronounce devilish (audio)
Definition of devilishnext
1
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit a devilish plan to sabotage the other party's political convention

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness a devilish grin that told us he was up to something

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount that's a devilish amount of bad luck for any person to have to endure

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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 devilish Ari Millen is the devilish titular character offering kids sweet delights with horrifying results in the trailer for Eli Roth’s Ice Cream Man, which dropped on Wednesday. — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 3 June 2026 Sealed by consuming a mushroom that sprung from the snowy, barren land (as seen in last week’s episode), Richard’s devilish pact cursed Widow’s Bay for the foreseeable future, binding all those born on it to its grounds — those who try to leave face immediate death beyond its watery borders. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 27 May 2026 So now my son is doing his version of all that, which is kind of funny to be talking about, like this big devilish fish. — Marah Eakin, Vulture, 14 May 2026 The foundational mythic story of bluesman Robert Johnson arriving at a crossroads and giving his soul to the devil in return for some devilish guitar licks has spawned many a play. — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
  1. demonic
  2. mischievous
  3. excessive
  4. sinister
  5. wicked
  6. extreme
  7. diabolical
  8. playful
Adjective
  • But cultural myths and urban legends have also stereotyped them into Halloween mascots, demonic beings and carriers of diseases.
    — Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Wolf succumbs to Shura, a demonic force in the game’s mythology that possesses those who give in to bloodlust.
    — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of demonic
Adjective
  • Paramount Great Again hat, but didn’t expect the mischievous executive to turn up in Edinburgh wearing the headgear.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Reports from across the UK show the mischievous character lurking outside windows and startling passersby.
    — Gina Park, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of mischievous
Adjective
  • Carrying five tight ends is excessive, so there probably won’t be room for Fidone unless Theo Johnson’s shoulder injury is more serious than initially believed.
    — Dan Duggan, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Interestingly, patient education level or excessive punctuation had little impact.
    — Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of excessive
Adjective
  • But now Disney has shared more of what’s coming to the sinister territory just beyond the spires of the park’s Wildest Ride in the Wilderness.
    — Megan duBois, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026
  • In the more familiar galaxy far, far away, their friends Hera Syndulla, Ezra Bridger, Zeb Orrelios and Chopper must face the powerful Grand Admiral Thrawn and his sinister allies, who seek to plunge the fledgling New Republic into war.
    — Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sinister
Adjective
  • Kiss off the haters with a pretty wicked portrait from our Free Photobooth.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Along with other large parts of Northwest Indiana, East Chicago was hit with power outages following a wicked storm that blasted through the area a week ago Tuesday.
    — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • China is also blocked from accessing ASML’s most advanced extreme ultraviolet (EUV) machines.
    — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Intel is a slightly different case because it’s also caught up in the mania for chip stocks as spending on artificial intelligence creates extreme demand for semiconductors.
    — Norah Rami, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of extreme
Adjective
  • Might be nice to reconnect; might also be absolutely diabolical running into each other in the crisps aisle at Waitrose.
    — Lauren O’Neill, Vogue, 22 Aug. 2026
  • What outrages Marylanders is that this diabolical plan excludes the Preakness, devaluing it and implying the Triple Crown is irrelevant, if not dead.
    — Stephen J. K. Walters, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of diabolical
Adjective
  • For good measure, Pabst’s social media updates took a tongue-in-cheek approach that may have actually convinced people the posts were more playful than actual pleas for help.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The world went in, and pliant, playful interpretations flowed out.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of playful

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Cite this Entry

“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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