hell

noun

ˈhel 

1

a(1)

: a nether world in which the dead continue to exist : hades

(2)

: the nether realm of the devil and the demons in which condemned people suffer everlasting punishment

—often used in curses

go to hell

or as a generalized term of abuse

the hell with it

b

Christian Science : error sense 2b, sin

2

a

: a place or state of misery, torment, or wickedness

war is hell

—W. T. Sherman

b

: a place or state of turmoil or destruction

all hell broke loose

c

: a severe scolding

also : flak, grief

gave me hell for coming in late

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 motive

decided 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 intensive

hurts like hell

funny as hell

—often used in the phrase hell of a

it was one hell of a good fight

or hell out of

scared the hell out of him

or with the or in

moved 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

hell on

: very hard on or destructive to

the constant traveling is hell on your digestive system

hell or high water

: difficulties of whatever kind or size

will stand by her convictions come hell or high water

hell to pay

: dire consequences

if he's late there'll be hell to pay

what the hell

—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

Synonyms

• Gehenna
• Pandemonium
• perdition
• Tophet

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

The vicious gang has taken advantage of a lax southern border under the Biden-Harris administration, with many of its foot soldiers swarming the U.S. and unleashing hell on unsuspecting communities. —Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2024

Here, writer-director David Moreau depicts a descent into hell with a relentless sense of urgency, the feeling of claustrophobia made worse by the camera’s refusal to cut away. —Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024

How many people are going to just make my life hell? —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 19 Dec. 2024

Still, no one else seemed to notice that I was engaged in my own private hell. —Daisy Jones, Vogue, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English helle, going back to Old English hell, helle, going back to Germanic *haljō (whence also Old Saxon hellia "abode of the dead," Old High German hella, hellia, Old Norse hel "abode of the dead, the death goddess," Gothic halja, translating Greek Háidēs), perhaps from an o-grade nominal derivative of the Germanic verbal base *hel- "cover, hide" — more at conceal

Note: The connection with *hel- "conceal" is traditional in the etymological literature, though given that the literal meaning of *haljō, the mythological abode of the dead, is unknown, it must be regarded as speculative.

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing hell

• all hell breaks loose
• as hell
• a snowball's chance in hell
• bloody hell
• catch hell
• come hell or high water
• for the hell of it
• give (someone) hell
• give (someone) holy hell
• go to hell
• go to hell in a handbasket
• hell-bent
• hell-for-leather
• hell of a
• hell-raiser
• in hell
• in the hell
• like a bat out of hell
• like hell
• play hell with
• play merry hell with
• raise hell
• sure as hell
• the bloody hell
• the hell
• the hell out of
• the hell with
• to hell and back
• to hell with
• when hell freezes over

Kids Definition

hell

noun

ˈhel 

1

: 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

Hell

biographical name

ˈhel 

Stefan (Walter) 1962–     German (Romanian-born) chemist