hellscape

noun

hell·​scape ˈhel-ˌskāp How to pronounce hellscape (audio)
plural hellscapes
: a hellish landscape : a harshly unpleasant place or environment
I blame growing up in Southern California—this did not prepare me for real winter, much less the frigid hellscape that is New York in January.Aliza Arbabanel
Meanwhile, it's heartbreaking to see Route 33, once called out by Jalopnik as "America's greatest driving road," reduced to this horrifying hellscape. And, of course, to think about all the nearby people and animals and communities being inundated with fire and smoke.Andrew P. Collins

Examples of hellscape in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The other finds its home in people who believe those same alterations will result in their Shangri La becoming an unrecognizable hellscape. Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 21 June 2025 Taken on its own, however, Boyle and Garland’s trip back to this hellscape makes the most of casting a jaundiced, bloodshot eye at our current moment. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025 Its portrayal of the Philippines as a third-world hellscape hasn’t gone unnoticed. Travis Bean, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025 The images flowing out of Los Angeles over nearly a week of protests against federal immigration raids have cast America’s second most populous city as a terrifying hellscape, where lawbreakers rule the streets and regular citizens should fear to leave their homes. James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for hellscape

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellscape was in 1894

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Cite this Entry

“Hellscape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellscape. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.

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