helluva

American

[hel-uh-vuh] / ˈhɛl ə və /

adjective

Informal.

hell of a (used as an intensifier).

We had a helluva time getting through the heavy traffic.
She's a helluva good player!

helluva British

/ ˈhɛləvə /

adverb

(intensifier)

a helluva difficult job
he's a helluva guy
(intensifier)

it's helluva tough out here

"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 helluva

First recorded in 1915–20; a phonetic spelling representation of hell of a in continuous rapid speech

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.

A helluva lot of the duties on China—vanquished.

From Slate • Feb. 20, 2026

“You make a helluva lot more money with a weaker dollar,” the president said in July.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

“He had a helluva campaign for a rookie coach. I thought he handled it extremely well.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2025

Brandon Gill, the football coach of nearby Buford High School, wrote on social media that Aspinwall was a "helluva human being" who "would do anything for anyone."

From BBC • Sep. 5, 2024

I had a helluva time even finding a cab.

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger

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