hellbent

American

[hel-bent] / ˈhɛlˌbɛnt /

adjective

stubbornly or recklessly determined.
going at terrific speed.

adverb

in a hellbent manner; with reckless determination; at full speed.

hellbent British

/ ˌhɛlˈbɛnt /

adjective

informal strongly or rashly intent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hellbent

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; hell + bent ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You can find him Thursdays through Saturdays setting up at one of three breweries on the north side: Hellbent, Urban Family and Lantern.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 3, 2022

Hellbent on staying put, she watches with dread as nearby homes are razed for McMansions or stylishly gut-jobbed by savvy new owners and investors.

From Washington Post • May 17, 2018

Mr. Davis, who also goes by the name Hellbent, is perhaps best known for spray-painting entire buildings with vivid compositions that resemble overlapping layers of wallpaper.

From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2017

A version of this review appears in print on February 14, 2014, on page C10 of the with the headline: Hellbent on Fusing His Soul With Hers.

From New York Times • Feb. 13, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023