adjective
adverb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devilish
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; see origin at devil, -ish 1
Explanation
You can describe someone as devilish if they're nasty and cruel, although this adjective is also used for rascally or naughty people, like the devilish kids you babysit. A devilish punishment is cruel, but a devilish preschooler simply misbehaves in a playful way. Since about 1600, the word devil has been used to mean not just an "evil, diabolical spirit," but also a "clever rogue." The adjective has followed suit, so you might describe a terrifying movie monster as a devilish creature, while also calling your favorite rascal a devilish creature.
Vocabulary lists containing devilish
"Thank You, M'am"
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"Thank You, M'am" and "Juvenile Justice"
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When I Was the Greatest
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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.
“It hits me,” he says with a devilish grin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
And Universal's horror sequel "Black Phone 2," once again starring Ethan Hawke as a devilish villain, came in fifth place at $2.7 million.
From Barron's ● Nov. 16, 2025
Australian scientists have discovered a new native bee species with tiny horns - and given it a suitably devilish name.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2025
It doesn’t make the devilish, insane and extreme “Dracula” any easier to take as a skewering of sensibilities and conventions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025
Then with a devilish grin Joey said, “And Mr. Larson didn’t say a thing about The Landry News—like ‘You’d better not say anything else about me,’ or ‘You can just forget about making another newspaper.’
From "The Landry News" by Andrew Clements
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.
