# hellish

/ˈhɛɫɪʃ/ (US) · /hˈɛlɪʃ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hellish
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.