hellish

[hel-ish]

adjective

1. of, like, or suitable to hell; infernal; vile; horrible.

   It was a hellish war.

2. miserable; abominable; execrable.

   We had a hellish time getting through traffic.

3. devilishly bad.

   The child's behavior was hellish most of the day.

hellish

/ ˈhɛlɪʃ /

adjective

1. of or resembling hell

2. wicked; cruel

3. informal,  very difficult or unpleasant

adverb

1. informal,  (intensifier)

   a hellish good idea

Other Word Forms

• hellishly adverb
• hellishness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hellish¹

First recorded in 1520–30; hell + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

And I’m not even talking about the sequel where the bullying mogul Biff Tannen turns downtown Hill Valley into a hellish Pleasure Paradise Casino & Hotel.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It has trumped hellish geology and cranked out dozens of gushers.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

After three hellish days in a drooling, Dramamine-induced coma, I failed my check ride.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It is also, unmistakably, the work of a man who has survived a hellish ordeal and emerged with serious things to say.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

One said life became "hellish" when their practice was taken over.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• horrible 
• infernal 
• terrible