hellish

From hell + -ish.

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛlɪʃ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛlɪʃ
• Hyphenation: hell‧ish

hellish (comparative more hellish, superlative most hellish)

1. infernal, related or similar to hell.

   Synonyms: helly, stygian; see also Thesaurus:infernal

   Antonym: heavenly

   • 1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature [F3], recto:

     Fauſtus is gone, regard his helliſh fall, / Whoſe fiendful fortune may exhort the wiſe, / Onely to wonder at vnlawful things, […]

2. (hyperbolic) causing great pain, discomfort or distress.

   Synonyms: awful, horrible, infernal, nightmarish, terrible; see also Thesaurus:agonizing, Thesaurus:bad

   Antonym: heavenly

   I woke up from a hellish noise coming from the house next door.

• hell