hell of a

Idioms  

1. Also, one hell of a

2. See devil of a .

3. This phrase is used as an intensive to emphasize certain qualities about the noun it modifies. By itself the idiom is ambiguous, for its exact meaning depends on the context. For example, He is a hell of a driver can mean either that he is very skillful or that he is a terrible driver. Similarly, We had one hell of a time can mean either that we enjoyed ourselves greatly or that we had an awful or difficult time. [Second half of 1700s]

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Example Sentences

“At 86 years young I’ve lived a hell of a life, and I’m more motivated than ever to raise money for kids battling cancer,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

But society’s realization that birds were a finite resource and worth saving makes for a hell of a story.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

So I appreciate the guys in this locker room a whole hell of a lot.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 5, 2026

Now, it was pouring rain when we went out, but that didn’t stop us, and we had a hell of a time.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

"You can't blame him such a hell of a lot."

From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway