devilish

[dev-uh-lish, dev-lish]

adjective

1. of, like, or befitting a devil; diabolical; fiendish.

   Synonyms: excessive, infernal, demoniac, satanic

2. extreme; very great.

   a devilish mess.

adverb

1. excessively; extremely.

   He's devilish proud.

devilish

/ ˈdɛvlɪʃ, ˈdɛvəlɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, resembling, or befitting a devil; diabolic; fiendish

adverb

1. (intensifier)

   devilish good food

   this devilish heat

Other Word Forms

• devilishly adverb
• devilishness noun
• superdevilish adjective
• superdevilishly adverb
• superdevilishness noun
• undevilish adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of devilish¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; devil, -ish ¹

Example Sentences

How wordplay and devilish games of deduction can be as satisfying to the soul as a song.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Australian scientists have discovered a new native bee species with tiny horns - and given it a suitably devilish name.

Read more on BBC

But he now insists that the migrant surge was some devilish scheme concocted by the Maduro regime to flood America’s streets with Venezuelan drug dealers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I wasn’t into the devilish holiday, but I was also free and hungry, so I rolled right into the Thanksgiving date trap.

Read more on Salon

It doesn’t make the devilish, insane and extreme “Dracula” any easier to take as a skewering of sensibilities and conventions.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• demonic 
• diabolical