infernal
Americanadjective
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hellish; fiendish; diabolical.
an infernal plot.
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extremely troublesome, annoying, etc.; atrocious.
an infernal nuisance.
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of, inhabiting, or befitting hell.
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Classical Mythology. of or relating to the underworld.
adjective
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of or relating to an underworld of the dead
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deserving hell or befitting its occupants; diabolic; fiendish
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informal irritating; confounded
Other Word Forms
- infernality noun
- infernally adverb
Etymology
Origin of infernal
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Late Latin infernālis, equivalent to Latin infern(us) “situated below, of the underworld” ( inferior ) + -ālis -al 1
Explanation
Things that come from Hell, or seem like they do, are infernal. If your father tells you to stop listening to that infernal music, he thinks your tunes are hellish on the ears. The word infernal comes from infernus, the Latin word for underground. A related word is inferno which means a really big fire, the kind that you might find in Hell. Although it might be used to describe something really hot or something evil, infernal is usually used when someone is complaining about something they really don't like such as the infernal dog next door that keeps barking.
Vocabulary lists containing infernal
A Christmas Carol
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Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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Term-ometer: Synonyms for "Hot"
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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.
They constituted hitting a new bottom, a new and infernal, face-lit-by-flames bottom, in world communications.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
When Davis wrote his controversial piece, he also noted that “late August to early October is the infernal season in Los Angeles.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 10, 2025
I again pleaded with the entity that is running this infernal simulation to please stop.
From Salon • Nov. 12, 2024
For now, all scientists can do is monitor the infernal proceedings—and hope that their observations will, eventually, reveal the secrets behind this novel show of volcanic force.
From National Geographic • Dec. 19, 2023
All I see is that you are making an infernal noise and disturbing everybody in the room.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
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.
