hellbent

American

[hel-bent] / ˈhɛlˌbɛnt /

adjective

stubbornly or recklessly determined.
going at terrific speed.

adverb

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

hellbent British

/ ˌhɛlˈbɛnt /

adjective

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.

Now the conservatives are hellbent on challenging the politicians who pushed them out over South Carolinians’ reproductive rights.

From Salon

“Everyone is hellbent on sticking together because they think there’s strength and validation in numbers, but that’s not true,” says Arielle Scarcella, a 39-year-old Brooklyn-based YouTuber who frequently posts videos critiquing gender theory and trans activism to her 800,000 followers.

From The Wall Street Journal

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

From BBC

Each delivers their justifications straight to the camera in harsh ultra-close-ups, hellbent on convincing the audience to agree with them.

From Los Angeles Times

Project manager Peter Jones said the company was "hellbent" on delivering the promise of greener steelmaking in south Wales.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023