Word
hellish
US/ˈhɛɫɪʃ/
UK/hˈɛlɪʃ/
Informal
Definition
adj. extremely unpleasant, difficult, or hot. You use this to describe a situation that feels like a bad dream or a very tough place to be.
adj. characterised by extreme heat, suffering, or misery. Often used to describe environments or experiences that are intensely unpleasant or oppressive.
Examples
“The summer heat made the hike feel hellish.”
“The workers endured a hellish week of overtime to meet the deadline for the new project.”
“The documentary provides a hellish portrait of the industrial revolution, focusing on the grueling conditions that workers faced in the textile mills of the nineteenth century.”
Examples
simple
“The summer heat made the hike feel hellish.”
contextual
“The workers endured a hellish week of overtime to meet the deadline for the new project.”
complex
“The documentary provides a hellish portrait of the industrial revolution, focusing on the grueling conditions that workers faced in the textile mills of the nineteenth century.”
Etymology
From hell + -ish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/hellish