1
b
Christian Science
: error sense 2b, sin
2
a
: a place or state of misery, torment, or wickedness
war is hell—
W. T. Sherman
W. T. Sherman
b
: a place or state of turmoil or destruction
all hell broke loose
d
: unrestrained fun or sportiveness
the kids were full of hell
—often used in the phrase for the hell of it especially to suggest action on impulse or without a serious motivedecided to go for the hell of it
e
: an extremely unpleasant and often inescapable situation
rush-hour hell
3
archaic
: a tailor's receptacle
4
—used as an interjection
hell, I don't know!
or as an intensivehurts like hell
funny as hell
—often used in the phrase hell of ait was one hell of a good fight
or hell out ofscared the hell out of him
or with the or inmoved way the hell up north
what in hell is wrong, now?
Phrases
from hell
: being the worst or most dreadful of its kind
a vacation from hell
: very hard on or destructive to
the constant traveling is hell on your digestive system
: difficulties of whatever kind or size
will stand by her convictions come hell or high water
: dire consequences
if he's late there'll be hell to pay
—used interjectionally to express a lack of concern about consequences or risks
it might cost him half his estate … but what the hell—N. W. Aldrich born 1935
N. W. Aldrich born 1935
Examples of hell in a Sentence
Getting the loan approved was pure hell.
He went through hell during his divorce.
She had to go through hell to get where she is today.
Living with the disease can be a hell on earth.
The pain has made her life a living hell.
Recent Examples on the Web
Her gesture backfires: at the Botanical Garden, the kids get lost, wandering down a hidden corridor that deposits them back into the grimy hell of the city.
—Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
But the music was so viscerally exciting, and Clark’s demeanor between songs was so friendly, that, well, hell or heaven or whatever awaits seemed very far off.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2024
Ripley, rudely deprived of the happy ending she seemed headed towards at the end of Aliens, has entered yet another level of extra-terrestrial hell.
—James Grebey, TIME, 16 Aug. 2024
When his mother was taken to hell by the demon Mephisto for her witchcraft, the young Doom sought to better himself to bring her back.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hell 
Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2024
But the music was so viscerally exciting, and Clark’s demeanor between songs was so friendly, that, well, hell or heaven or whatever awaits seemed very far off.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Aug. 2024
Ripley, rudely deprived of the happy ending she seemed headed towards at the end of Aliens, has entered yet another level of extra-terrestrial hell.
—James Grebey, TIME, 16 Aug. 2024
When his mother was taken to hell by the demon Mephisto for her witchcraft, the young Doom sought to better himself to bring her back.
—Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for hell
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hell.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near hell
Cite this Entry
“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hell. Accessed 28 Aug. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hell
noun1
: a place where souls are believed to survive after death
2
: the place or state of punishment for the wicked after death : the home of evil spirits
3
: a place or condition of misery or wickedness
4
: a place or state of great confusion, disorder, or destruction : havoc, pandemonium
5
: something that causes torment
especially
: a severe scolding
Biographical Definition
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