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Like the word devil, "diabolical" traces back to Latin diabolus, which itself descends from Greek diabolos, a word that literally means "slanderer." In English, "diabolical" has many nuances of meaning. It can describe the devil himself (as in "my diabolical visitor") or anything related to or characteristic of him in appearance, behavior, or thought; examples include "diabolical lore," "a diabolical grin," and "a diabolical plot." In British slang, "diabolical" can also mean "disgraceful" or "bad," as in "the food was diabolical."
Examples of diabolical in a Sentence
EW.com, 8 July 2025
Follow the delightfully diabolical writer of this newsletter on social media @jimreineking.
—Jim Reineking, USA Today, 17 June 2025
The event includes a beer, then beer pong, a second beer, then cornhole, a third beer, then flip cup, a keg race, then the diabolical Run, Forrest, Run race around the block — two times!
—Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 3 July 2025
Theologian, pastor and writer, Bonhoeffer had a role in a scheme to remove Hitler from power because of Hitler’s diabolical persecution of Jews and others.
—Walt Shelton, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Diabolical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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diabolical
adjective
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