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devilish

adjective
dev·​il·​ish | \ ˈde-vᔊl-ish How to pronounce devilish (audio) , ˈdev-lish\

Definition of devilish

1 : resembling or befitting a devil: such as
a : evil, sinister
b : mischievous, roguish a devilish grin
2 : extreme in a devilish hurry
Other Words from devilish Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about devilish

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Other Words from devilish

devilish adverb
devilishly adverb
devilishness noun

Did You Know?

In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, Satan is usually referred to as diabolos or “slanderer” (from the Greek verb diaballein, “to slander,” literally “to throw across”). But in the Greek New Testament, the Hebrew word, which is Satanas or Satan in its Greek form, is used as if it were the devil’s proper name. The older Latin translations of the Bible retain Greek diabolos as diabolus, but St. Jerome’s version, the Vulgate, calls the devil Satan. Both words were borrowed into Old English, and we now call this figure both Satan and the Devil. The derived form devilish first appears in the 15th century.

Examples of devilish in a Sentence

She was attracted by his devilish charm. There was a devilish look of mischief in her eyes.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Bremer inadvertently sent the ball into his own net as a devilish delivery from a free-kick glanced off the centre-back's shoulder, with Jota doubling the advantage after the break with a clinical finish from the centre of the box. — SI.com, "Wolves vs Torino Preview: Where to Watch, Buy Tickets, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News," 26 Aug. 2019 Johnson hit on a theme: how the European Union was run by the devilish French and rules-obsessed Germans, who were out to pass all sorts of onerous rules designed to clip the wings of a once-great Britain. — Washington Post, "Boris Johnson, Britain’s likely next prime minister, is a hack — a journalist who has reached the pinnacle of power," 21 July 2019 With the trajectory and role of each instrument-character accounted for, the performance struck the balance between the bigger picture and the devilish details. — ZoĂ« Madonna, BostonGlobe.com, "Boston Symphony Orchestra begins Tanglewood season in style," 7 July 2019 Meteorologists rely on a few different weather models to peer into a hurricane’s future, and the computations are devilish. — Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, "Hurricanes: How These Destructive Storms Form, and Why They Get So Strong," 26 June 2019 Greenwold’s wife is beside Anya with a devilish grin, and in front of her is Close. — Matthew Klam, The New Yorker, "The Weird, Violent, Uplifting Paintings of Mark Greenwold," 26 June 2019 At its height Babe was a hellishly fun read, the devilish little sister to the older and wiser sites on offer. — Amelia Harnish, refinery29.com, "Frat Feminism: Inside The Rise And Fall Of Babe.Net," 25 June 2019 These habits continued into adulthood, and Dickie became a rich, arrogant loudmouth who made a deal with a devilish-looking guy (who bore a striking resemblance to Vladimir Putin) and somehow got elected President of the United States. — Brendan Kiley, The Seattle Times, "Seattle-based Patriotic Christians for a Better America spreads anti-Trump gospel with cartoons," 26 Mar. 2019 The robot’s personality is much more emotive now, giving it a sharper character and a more playful (if slightly devilish) approach to human interaction. — Nick Statt, The Verge, "Anki Vector review: modern-day Tamagotchi," 5 Nov. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'devilish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of devilish

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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More Definitions for devilish

devilish

adjective
How to pronounce devilish (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of devilish

: evil and cruel
: showing a desire to cause trouble but in a way that is not serious

See the full definition for devilish in the English Language Learners Dictionary

devilish

adjective
dev·​il·​ish | \ ˈde-və-lish How to pronounce devilish (audio) , ˈdev-lish\

Kids Definition of devilish

1 : evil and cruel
2 : mischievous sense 2

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More from Merriam-Webster on devilish

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for devilish

Spanish Central: Translation of devilish

Nglish: Translation of devilish for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of devilish for Arabic Speakers

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