adjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of a demon; fiendish
-
inspired or possessed by a demon, or seemingly so
demonic laughter
Other Word Forms
- demonically adverb
- superdemonic adjective
Etymology
Origin of demonic
1655–65; < Late Latin daemonicus < Greek daimonikós, equivalent to daimon- demon- + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Demonic is a word to describe behavior or people who are extremely evil or cruel. It helps to understand this word if you know a demon is a creature of hell. Demonic has that same kind of hellish, diabolical, fiendish, infernal, satanic, unholy quality. This word should not be used lightly. Stealing a candy bar, though wrong, is not demonic. Truly evil behavior, like being a serial killer, is more likely to be described as demonic. In superhero movies, the supervillains are likely to be demonic, since they are more evil than common storybook villains.
Vocabulary lists containing demonic
"What Is the Horror Genre?" Vocabulary from the literary criticism
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Evil
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
Regardless, standout performances such as Daniel Camargo’s compelling prince, Léa Fleytoux’s fabulously arrow-sharp Firebird and Patrick Frenette’s demonic sorcerer held the stage with impressive individuality.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
Online sleuthing leads Evy and Justin to a demonic creature that causes miscarriages and stillbirths: Abyzou, the bitter spirit of an infertile woman who visits chaos upon other pregnancies.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
They worked it downfield, through the puddles, through and around the demonic Italian players, over halfway and into the enemy 22.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2026
But most of the time, the symbolism of demonic possession violating the “purity” of the small, usually blonde girl is slightly less blunt.
From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025
The reason was that they could not stop staring—with a curious mixture of fascination, fear, and uneasiness—at Mr. Curtain in his green-plaid suit, silvery glasses, and demonic wheelchair.
From "The Mysterious Benedict Society" by Trenton Lee Stewart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
