demonic

adjective

de·​mon·​ic di-ˈmä-nik How to pronounce demonic (audio)
dē-
variants or less commonly demonical
: of, relating to, or suggestive of a demon : fiendish
demonic cruelty
demonic laughter
demonically adverb

Examples of demonic in a Sentence

the villain in the movie cackled with demonic laughter
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cause is less demonic and more likely domoic acid toxicosis caused by toxic algal bloom, often referred to as red tide, experts say. Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2025 Though known for voicing the demonic doll Chucky in the popular horror franchise of the same name, the elder Dourif has had some experience performing in the medical field before. Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 5 Apr. 2025 Every fictional serial killer and practically every fictional psychopath post-Silence of the Lambs owes some debt to Hopkins' radical performance — wry, polite, delicate, and demonic. EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025 Douthat Nosferatu is a return to the demonic roots of the Dracula legend. Daniel Foster, National Review, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for demonic

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin daemonicus, borrowed from Greek daemonikós, from daimon-, daímōn "superhuman power, spirit intermediate between gods and humans, demon" + -ikos -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of demonic was in 1642

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demonic. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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