satanic

or Sa·tan·ic

[ suh-tan-ik, sey- ]

adjective

1. of Satan.
2. characteristic of or befitting Satan; extremely wicked; devillike; diabolical.

   Synonyms: infernal, fiendish, hellish, devilish, evil

3. of or relating to Satanism, a highly diverse group of religious, philosophical, or countercultural practices centered around Satan.

satanic

/ səˈtænɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to Satan
2. supremely evil or wicked; diabolic

Derived Forms

• saˈtanically, adverb
• saˈtanicalness, noun

Other Words From

• sa·tan·i·cal·ly adverb
• sa·tan·i·cal·ness noun
• un·sa·tan·ic adjective
• un·sa·tan·i·cal adjective
• un·sa·tan·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of satanic¹

First recorded in 1540–50; Satan + -ic ( def )

Example Sentences

This is what happened in the 1980s, when a modern satanic panic surged in response to social and political transformations not all Americans agreed with.

From Washington Post

Players assume the role of a possessed lamb and build a flock of deceptively cute woodland creatures to become the biggest, baddest satanic cult around.

From Washington Post

She had previously shared QAnon conspiracy videos, called Melinda Gates “satanic,” claimed that George Soros had paid racial-justice protesters and pushed disinformation about LGBTQ “conversion” therapy.

From Time

I only went a couple of times, due to attending a church that believed Halloween was satanic.

From Vox

Its central claims were that Hillary Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, was an occultist, and that a dinner hosted by a prominent performance artist was actually a secret satanic ritual.

From MIT Technology Review

The Satanic Temple wins these fights because they are small fights.

From The Daily Beast

The Satanic Temple won a battle to put a display in the Florida state capitol, but the religious right is fighting a bigger war.

From The Daily Beast

It started when I asked whether his seemingly Satanic serial killer was “a vehicle for a discussion of religion.”

From The Daily Beast

As an alternative religious player, says Greaves, the Satanic Temple provides yet another “counterbalance.”

From The Daily Beast

So practically speaking, the Satanic Temple is less a religion than a small band of guerilla activists.

From The Daily Beast

In English archaic writings the instances in which the mention of the Satanic power is thus utilised are not numerous.

From Project Gutenberg

Some beautiful legends have been preserved which tell of miraculous deliverance of Christian girls from this most Satanic cruelty.

From Project Gutenberg

In a cross-road, at some distance from the Satanic hill, the animal which I rode cast a shoe.

From Project Gutenberg

But in spite of this appeal and of a pact signed with the blood of the writer, no Satanic apparitions were forthcoming.

From Project Gutenberg

In his choice of a date his Satanic Majesty showed his respect for popular superstitions.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cruel
• maniacal