hellacious

adjective

hel·​la·​cious ˌhe-ˈlā-shəs How to pronounce hellacious (audio)
Synonyms of hellaciousnext
1
: exceptionally powerful or violent
hellacious winds
2
: remarkably good
has a hellacious curve ball
3
: extremely difficult
a hellacious climb
4
: extraordinarily large
a hellacious traffic jam
hellaciously adverb

Examples of hellacious in a Sentence

Traffic is hellacious this time of day. the hellacious heat was more than we could bear
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This was a hellacious heavyweight matchup that lived up to the hype. Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 The skiers were in a valley below Perry Peak, but the two survivors have described battling through hellacious conditions in the hour before the avalanche. Andrew Graham april 2, Sacbee.com, 2 Apr. 2026 The Pistons' defense is hellacious, but their offense is prone to droughts and is not designed to play catchup. Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 7 Mar. 2026 But the tour was a hellacious time for Bachman. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hellacious

Word History

Etymology

hell + -acious (as in audacious)

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hellacious was in 1929

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Cite this Entry

“Hellacious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hellacious. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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