Synonyms

till hell freezes over

Idioms

Forever, as in They said they'd go on searching till hell freezes over, but I'm sure they'll give up soon. This hyperbolic expression dates from the early 1900s. So does its antonym, not till hell freezes over, meaning “never,” as in I'm not giving in, not until hell freezes over.

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.

Shultz, says one Administration official, will "stay on that job till hell freezes over" rather than let that happen.

From Time Magazine Archive

"I don't suppose we'll leave here till hell freezes over," said Meadville, who was doing up the last strap on his pack.

From Three Soldiers by Dos Passos, John

That there Dorales will be on your trail till hell freezes over, ma’am!

From The Mesa Trail by Bedford-Jones, H.

When I get back to Chicago," he perorated, "I'm going to get a job and stick to it till hell freezes over.

From The Road by London, Jack

Well, if they want to wait for me to be nasty to Tonet, they can wait till hell freezes over.

From Mayflower (Flor de mayo) A Tale of the Valencian Seashore by Livingston, Arthur

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