adjective
-
excruciatingly bad; outrageous
-
(intensifier)
a diabolical liberty
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of diabolical
First recorded in 1500–10; from Late Latin diabolicus ( see diabolic ( def. )) + -al 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Diabolical means "evil." This is a strong word. Too much math homework might seem unfair, but it probably isn't diabolical. Diabolical is related to the Spanish word diablo, which means "devil." In many religions and mythologies, you can't get any more evil than a devil, so diabolical is a powerful term, stronger than even despicable, which is another strong word for things that are hateful. Diabolical things are also intentional. If you got hit by lightning, that's awful and harmful, but it's not diabolical. If someone deliberately runs you over with a car, that's much more diabolical.
Vocabulary lists containing diabolical
Persepolis
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!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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!
Similes from Top AP English Exam Novels
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The sequel, Runt and the Diabolical Dognapping, was launched at the end of last year and was Australia's number one "best-selling children's book" according to its publisher Allen & Unwin.
From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026
Diabolical and heartless, Weyman’s Father Antoine is particularly charismatic and seemingly unstoppable, the very stuff of melodrama.
From Washington Post • Sep. 1, 2021
Trese follows the titular Alexandra Trese, a Manilla resident who owns a club called Diabolical, but more interestingly, is also a consulting detective of sorts.
From The Verge • Jul. 4, 2021
Cotton Mather, a leading Puritan theologian in a society where the church exercised enormous power and influence, detected a "Diabolical Compact" in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692.
From Salon • Oct. 17, 2020
That they who force another to do that which he cannot possibly do, but by vertue of a Compact with the Devil, have themselves implicitely Communion with the Diabolical Covenant.
From The Wonders of the Invisible World Being an Account of the Tryals of Several Witches Lately Executed in New-England, to which is added A Farther Account of the Tryals of the New-England Witches by Mather, Cotton
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.
