fiendish

adjective

fiend·​ish ˈfēn-dish How to pronounce fiendish (audio)
1
: perversely diabolical
took a fiendish pleasure in hurting people
2
: extremely cruel or wicked
3
: excessively bad, unpleasant, or difficult
fiendish weather
fiendishly adverb
fiendishness noun

Examples of fiendish in a Sentence

He takes a fiendish delight in hurting people. a fiendish delight in playing cruel tricks
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 red Indian of the Western plains tied his prisoner to the stake, tortured him, and danced in fiendish glee while his victim writhed in the flames. Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 21 Feb. 2025 Jumbo brings a humanizing clarity to Lady Macbeth without in the least compromising her character’s fiendish side. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2025 There's a little bit for every guy, girl and ghoul, no matter what your fiendish tastes. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 3 Oct. 2024 The red Indian of the Western plains tied his prisoner to the stake, tortured him, and danced in fiendish glee while his victim writhed in the flames. Liz Tracey, JSTOR Daily, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for fiendish

Word History

First Known Use

1529, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fiendish was in 1529

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fiendish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fiendish. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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