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hellbent

American  
[hel-bent] / ˈhɛlˌbɛnt /

adjective

  1. stubbornly or recklessly determined.

  2. going at terrific speed.

adverb

  1. in a hellbent manner; with reckless determination; at full speed.

hellbent British  
/ ˌhɛlˈbɛnt /

adjective

  1. informal strongly or rashly intent

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hellbent

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; hell + bent 1

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 farmer said he was "hellbent" on keeping the horses there as it was a "family tradition".

From BBC • Oct. 28, 2025

But I never got the idea that he was hellbent on destroying the federal government.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2025

As he stands on the edges of the first days of his new career, one he’s hellbent on conquering, he’s moving with as clear of a mind as possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 30, 2024

Vance is: one is a bittersweet reflection on rural, small-town upbringing, and the other is an angry, revenge anthem for those hellbent on destroying everything in their path.

From Slate • Jul. 19, 2024

His words wrestled their way hellbent through his shyness.

From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck

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.