1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death
condemned to hell for their sins
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2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness
picking cotton under the hot summer sun was hell
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3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order
all hell broke loose when the jury's verdict was announced
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hell
For centuries, readers have preferred the horrors of hell to the perfection of heaven.
—
Eric Bulson, The Atlantic, 2 Jan. 2026
Smith stays largely mum on the news of the day, be that Kirk’s killing, or ICE raids, or whatever hells await in the coming weeks.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
In other words, who knows what fresh hell awaits us next year.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
Wolfgang Güllich, the great German climber who first free soloed the quintessential Yosemite roof climb Separate Reality in 1986, is pictured shirtless in red-and-white striped leggings, ripped as all hell, his shaggy mullet and mustache upgrading the photo to unforgettable.
—Jesse Klein, Outside, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
Noun
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But the inferno nevertheless destroyed the homes of his son and daughter, who are 26 and 29.—
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The Los Angeles Fire Department made the decision to physically move the command post down Pacific Coast Highway and away from the Palisades because the inferno threatened to overtake their location.—
Noun
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In the ‘Groundhog Day’-esque nightmare that never ends, the ‘urgent’ and ‘engaged’ Boston Red Sox are up a creek without a paddle, vessel, and excuse, having lost out on a top – and very sign-able – free-agent target once again.—
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This artistic decision shifts the focus from the battlefield to the psychological and bureaucratic nightmare faced by those desperately trying to orchestrate a rescue from hundreds of miles away.—
Noun
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Christian Barmore created a little more havoc against the run and pass than usual, but his only pressure was contained to the second quarter.—
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Dewan shared Fillion's sense of the havoc Monica is likely to cause in season 8.—
Noun
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Some players should be allowed to spin their wheels in the abyss, so if that’s what Antetokounmpo wants to do, then let him.—
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Kicked out, Eleven and Kali head to the abyss instead, joining the others to fight Vecna there.—
Noun
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The dramatic arc of the film’s first half — filled with the ecstasy of God’s embrace and the agony of imprisonment — is told through musical numbers, adapted from the Shakers’ ecstatic worship, dance, hymns, and music (watch the video above to learn more).—
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One year before Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire published their compendium of Greek myths, Cicellis released her second work of fiction, The Way to Colonos, which ruthlessly dramatizes the limits of individual freedom and the agony of facing one’s powerlessness.—
Noun
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Rather than letting those items pile up in a cluttered mess, opt for a compact organizer with enough storage to hold all the essentials.—
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And what a distraction from the mess he’s created!—
Noun
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Sloth, after all, is a deadly sin, and it was often seen as the first step on the slippery slope to perdition.—
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California policymakers continue to make laws and allow regulators to contrive rules that make California a land of perdition rather than destination for enterprise because they have been captured by left-of-center interests.—
Noun
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Others though, like benzodiazepines, have wildly missed the mark, causing decades of unintended consequences and human misery.—
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Instead of getting used to the smells, her misery intensified with each passing day.—
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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