hell

noun

ˈhel How to pronounce hell (audio)
Definition of hellnext
1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death condemned to hell for their sins

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2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness picking cotton under the hot summer sun was hell

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3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order all hell broke loose when the jury's verdict was announced

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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 hell Even in states that have an early season, some hunters completely avoid the lush hell of September woods and the corresponding mosquitoes, black flies and Indian summer heat. — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026 Several of his Hollywood projects in recent years haven’t panned out or remain in development hell. — Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 Minamoto Yoshitsune was a strategist who went to hell and took it over, defeating the Oni who guarded hell. — Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026 The game is also not easy; there’s a lot of bullet hell here, and many rooms are tight and filled with hazards and enemies. — ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
  1. inferno
  2. nightmare
  3. havoc
  4. abyss
  5. agony
  6. mess
  7. perdition
  8. misery
Noun
  • Hiding underneath a desk in a classroom was an 8-foot python, which fire officials say started the inferno.
    — Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The inferno that follows, as the betrayer’s dragon sets fire to both armies and then Tumbleton itself, will be rendered with both practical flames and CGI.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • An episode of septicemia, with its hells and paradises, its nightmares and hallucinations, transforms Borges into a story writer.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Of all the nightmare scenarios running, none of them involved the concept of ‘rest defence’.
    — Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • His worldview has brought nothing but havoc to Americans, whereas Parton provided a guidebook for a national redemption.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • After a stop in the NFL, former Mississippi tight end Dae’Quan Wright could be heading to LSU thanks to a court order that is creating havoc throughout college sports by allowing Wright and others an unexpected fifth year of eligibility.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • And into the abyss of checks and balances, entitlement crept in.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • Bugs Bunny jams himself against the edge and grits his teeth in agony.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The striking bronze sculpture depicts an outstretched arm reaching to the sky as hundreds of small human figures cling to it and each other with expressions of agony.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of agony
Noun
  • The defense was organized and rebounded well from some early breakdowns on stretch running plays, and Petrino’s offense doesn’t look like the mess Freddie Kitchens’ group was last year.
    — Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In another drawing, a Cubist mess of igloos and sandcastles lay in a heap.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Under cover of awkward teen dancing, the pair slipped into the library, riffled through the card catalog, and discovered, in addition to Soul on Ice, eight other volumes in PONY-U perdition.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • Sloth, after all, is a deadly sin, and it was often seen as the first step on the slippery slope to perdition.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Definition of perdition
Noun
  • But Moores would express misery in recalling ballpark-construction hassles and MLB politics that frustrated his advocacy of small-market clubs and game-day affordability.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This summer’s misery has been driven less by scorching afternoons than by record-warm nights and Miami-level humidity, according to scientist Daniel Swain.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of misery

Phrases Containing hell

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heliports
hell
hellacious
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on hell

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hell

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