1
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
that's a devilish amount of bad luck for any person to have to endure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit
a devilish plan to sabotage the other party's political convention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a devilish grin that told us he was up to something
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of devilish
Disney’s 20th Century Studios confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing only a teaser of two devilish red pumps.
—
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
The devilish reality, as always, is in the details, and the ‘sustainable fashion’ movement at large has claimed ‘intent’ as ‘action’ for years.
—Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Courtney is a devilish delight as nutso Aussie fisherman and tourist guide Tucker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
Gaga looks delightfully devilish in a red dress, artfully misapplied lipstick, and fishnets.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 June 2025
The devilish reality, as always, is in the details, and the ‘sustainable fashion’ movement at large has claimed ‘intent’ as ‘action’ for years.
—Brooke Roberts-Islam, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Courtney is a devilish delight as nutso Aussie fisherman and tourist guide Tucker.
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 6 June 2025
Gaga looks delightfully devilish in a red dress, artfully misapplied lipstick, and fishnets.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 2 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
-
Early signs include excessive panting, drooling, lethargy and weakness.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Whether your hair is naturally dry or parched from excessive color treatments and heat styling, brittle strands are a stubborn bummer.—
Annie Blackman,
Glamour,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
Supernatural conjured a variety of demonic baddies across its 15 seasons and 327 episodes (!).—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
-
Indeed, Riri was in the midst of veritably inhaling sliders, crinkle cut fries and loads of information about the demonic Dormammu when her binge got crashed by the Bloods.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Her intelligence is that vital and exacting, her wit that mischievous, her concerns – feminism, environmentalism, dystopian societies – that urgently relevant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 July 2025
-
Wearing a now-iconic red tie and less cartoonish design with more angular and mischievous features, DKC’s version of Kong has been a staple for over 30 years.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
10 July 2025
Adjective
-
Both companies show extreme volatility in bear markets, but Palantir's recovery has been more robust, possibly owing to its growing profitability and improving operational metrics.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Flooding is the second-deadliest weather hazard in the U.S. behind extreme heat.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Before long, his life is plagued by a series of mysterious, sinister incidents that threaten to upend his success and bring about a most violent demise.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 July 2025
-
He’s then forced to compete in a sinister game of hide-and-seek, where even more players are eliminated.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Tiernan McKinney often works on guitar necks, while Kennedy himself has input along the way on design, wood type, color and the wicked inlays found from top to bottom of each piece.—
Otto Rabe,
The Enquirer,
9 July 2025
-
Zayn fought back valiantly, but was cut off in midair with a wicked Spear from Breakker.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
-
If 51% of the population is being so underserved, the ratio to opportunity is insane.—
Gemma Allen,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
As the twins of the zodiac, Gemini parents are playful, adaptable, and quick on their feet.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
15 July 2025
-
White, who goes by Baby J, was described by cousin Raven Jackson as sweet, playful and charismatic.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share