infernal

adjective

in·​fer·​nal in-ˈfər-nᵊl 

1

: of or relating to a nether world of the dead

2

a

: of or relating to hell

b

: hellish, diabolical

3

: damnable

an infernal nuisance

infernally

in-ˈfər-nᵊl-ē 

adverb

Synonyms

• accursed
• accurst
• blasted
• confounded
• cursed
• curst
• cussed
• damnable
• dang
• danged
• darn
• durn
• darned
• durned
• deuced
• doggone
• doggoned
• freaking

Examples of infernal in a Sentence

the infernal regions of the dead

Stop making that infernal racket!

Recent Examples on the Web

Christ and his angels battled for your salvation, while the Devil and his many demonic spirits sought to trick and tempt, to pull you into their infernal kingdom. —James Wood, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024

The stake, with the hooded heretic, the black man or the witch attached to it, is the burning tree and body of the infernal world. —John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024

At the end of the day, Jake can’t meditate for ten seconds without having to take a leak, and Katagiri can’t do it without the infernal hum of Tokyo, in all its movement and machinations and people living and breathing and fighting and dying, bringing him back to earth. —Andy Andersen, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2024

Bees, wasps, and yellowjackets—with their infernal stings—are similarly creatures of the summer. —Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 24 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French enfernal, from Late Latin infernalis, from infernus hell, from Latin, lower, from inferus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing infernal

• infernal machine

Kids Definition

infernal

adjective

in·​fer·​nal in-ˈfərn-ᵊl 

1

: of or relating to hell

2

: very bad or unpleasant

an infernal nuisance

infernally

-ᵊl-ē 

adverb