devilish
adjective
dev·il·ish ˈde-vᵊl-ish 
ˈdev-lish
1
: resembling or befitting a devil: such as
a
: evil, sinister
b
: mischievous, roguish
a devilish grin
2
: extreme
in a devilish hurry
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.
Synonyms
- baroque
- excessive
- exorbitant
- extravagant
- extreme
- fancy
- immoderate
- inordinate
- insane
- intolerable
- lavish
- overdue
- overextravagant
- overmuch
- overweening
- plethoric
- steep
- stiff
- towering
- unconscionable
- undue
- unmerciful
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
She was attracted by his devilish charm. There was a devilish look of mischief in her eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web Gentes paints Regina in bold strokes but also seems more concerned with making an impression than responding to those around her, even her putative father (brought to sneaky, devilish life by Brantley). 
Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 But to negotiate its 350 miles of treacherous shoals and devilish currents required more than a month, not to mention fortitude, superb seamanship and outright luck. Gerard Helferich, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2022 The beast sets his devilish sights on the Engel family, after their countless arguments and squabbles reach a breaking point. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 12 Aug. 2022 First, Vincent D’Onofrio reprised his role as the devilish crime lord in the last two episodes of Hawkeye. Jacob Siegal, BGR, 8 Aug. 2022 Peele plays with his audience in devilish ways before going big and bold with the visuals (particularly Hoyte van Hoytema’s dazzling cinematography) as well as the white-knuckle tension. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 Those three tracks, performed as a medley, turned the venue into an apocalyptic dance party, with the Weeknd as its jovial, devilish host. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 15 July 2022 Marvel Studios has some devilish plans in store for Echo, the upcoming Disney+ series currently filming in Atlanta. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 July 2022 Decorate deviled eggs with black olive pupils and thinly-sliced pimiento veins for a truly devilish appetizer. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 27 June 2022 See More
Charles Mcnulty, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2022 But to negotiate its 350 miles of treacherous shoals and devilish currents required more than a month, not to mention fortitude, superb seamanship and outright luck. Gerard Helferich, WSJ, 14 Aug. 2022 The beast sets his devilish sights on the Engel family, after their countless arguments and squabbles reach a breaking point. Leah Campano, Seventeen, 12 Aug. 2022 First, Vincent D’Onofrio reprised his role as the devilish crime lord in the last two episodes of Hawkeye. Jacob Siegal, BGR, 8 Aug. 2022 Peele plays with his audience in devilish ways before going big and bold with the visuals (particularly Hoyte van Hoytema’s dazzling cinematography) as well as the white-knuckle tension. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 20 July 2022 Those three tracks, performed as a medley, turned the venue into an apocalyptic dance party, with the Weeknd as its jovial, devilish host. A.d. Amorosi, Variety, 15 July 2022 Marvel Studios has some devilish plans in store for Echo, the upcoming Disney+ series currently filming in Atlanta. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 July 2022 Decorate deviled eggs with black olive pupils and thinly-sliced pimiento veins for a truly devilish appetizer. Corinne Sullivan, Woman's Day, 27 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English develyssh, from devel devil entry 1 + -yssh -ish
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing devilish
Kids Definition
devilish
adjective
dev·il·ish ˈde-və-lish
ˈdev-lish
1
: evil and cruel
2
: mischievous sense 2
devilishly
adverb
as in overly
beyond a normal or acceptable limit a devilishly clever scheme to make money Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- overly
- too
- excessively
- extremely
- incredibly
- inordinately
- unusually
- exceptionally
- intolerably
- terribly
- very
- unacceptably
- unduly
- monstrously
- to death
- unbearably
- exorbitantly
- highly
- overmuch
- obscenely
- super
- unreasonably
- extravagantly
- remarkably
- extraordinarily
- to a fault
- immoderately
- with a vengeance
- uncommonly
- exceedingly
- singularly
- unconscionably
- inexcusably
- hugely
- eminently
- extra
- abnormally
- inappropriately
- improperly
- considerably
- exceeding
- freakishly
- significantly
- substantially
- deadly
- astronomically
- extensively
- extortionately
- intemperately
- especially
- whacking
- greatly
- mightily
- uncustomarily
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- insufficiently
- moderately
- reasonably
- inadequately
- slightly
- modestly
- acceptably
- deficiently
- marginally
- minimally
- just
- scarcely
- hardly
- barely
- temperately
- scantily
- meagerly
- anti-French
- anti-gambling
- anti-gang
- anti-gay
- anti-German
- anti-glare
- anti-globalization
- anti-government
- anti-green
- anti-growth
- anti-guerrilla
- anti-gun
- anti-harassment
- anti-herpes
- anti-hierarchical
- anti-hijacking
- anti-historical
- anti-HIV
- anti-homosexual
- anti-hormone
- anti-humanism
- anti-humanist
- anti-humanistic
- anti-humanitarian
- anti-hunger