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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mischievous
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness
a devilish grin that told us he was up to something
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of devilish
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
This immersive musical stage show brings the most devilish foes into our world to figure out, once and for all, who is the most misunderstood.
—Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 21 May 2025
Like the frenzied conductor of a runaway train, Jack Nicholson and his devilish smile drive it all.
—EW.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
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
This immersive musical stage show brings the most devilish foes into our world to figure out, once and for all, who is the most misunderstood.
—Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 21 May 2025
Like the frenzied conductor of a runaway train, Jack Nicholson and his devilish smile drive it all.
—EW.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for devilish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devilish
Adjective
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The weather service predicts that parts of Maryland remain at risk for excessive rainfall and the potential for flash floods.—
Chevall Pryce,
Baltimore Sun,
14 July 2025
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez took to X on Saturday to say his office was closely monitoring the situation and advised use excessive caution in the affected areas.—
Opheli Garcia Lawler,
Travel + Leisure,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Supernatural conjured a variety of demonic baddies across its 15 seasons and 327 episodes (!).—
Declan Gallagher,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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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
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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
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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
Adjective
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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
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While the booster performed impressively under extreme conditions, an unexpected anomaly caught engineers' attention: around 15 seconds before shutdown, the nozzle appeared to detach and release debris, accompanied by a bright plume flare.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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Zayn fought back valiantly, but was cut off in midair with a wicked Spear from Breakker.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
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The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Ludus refers to playful, game-like love that values fun and avoids deep commitment.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
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Even more recently, Dua Lipa debuted a playful French manicure with white polka dots on black tips, adding even more white spots all-over a couple accent nails.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devilish. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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