diabolical

adjective

di·a·bol·i·cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl How to pronounce diabolical (audio)

variants or diabolic

ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-lik How to pronounce diabolical (audio)

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish

a diabolical plot

diabolically

ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce diabolical (audio)

adverb

diabolicalness

ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl-nəs How to pronounce diabolical (audio)

noun

Did you know?

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."

Example Sentences

the police quickly mobilized to track down the diabolical criminals before they struck again

Recent Examples on the Web Would-be mass shooters, who often meticulously study previous shootings, now know that there may be a Don Surrett standing, with whatever weapon is at hand, between them and their diabolical endeavors.

Jeff Eager, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 As previously announced, Hunter Schafer is playing Snow’s cousin and confidante Tigris Snow, Peter Dinklage is portraying Academy dean Casca Highbottom, and Viola Davis has been cast as Volumnia Gaul, the mastermind of the diabolical death-match.

Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Aug. 2022 Roth and Hall are both excellent and carry the film for the first hour or so: she with her mix of instability and steel and he with his diabolical charm.

Michael O'sullivan, Washington Post, 27 July 2022 Finally, the Devil’s Gate Bourbon pays tribute to the pioneers who would risk their lives traversing across Devil’s Gate, a narrow, rocky gorge, one of the most formidable and diabolical obstacles the pioneers had to cross.

The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 July 2022 The Lincoln Lawyer, The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt as a Navy Seal who uncovers a diabolical conspiracy concerning an overseas mission that went wrong, doesn’t feel like episodic television.

Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 1 July 2022 Ricky Gervais is on autopilot as Ika Chu, the diabolical Somali cat who wants to perfect the view from his palace by wiping Kakamucho off the map.

Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 Math tells me that combining these sports into one new international discipline — Sumo break dancing — would be the most diabolical test of athleticism in the history of mankind, but that’s a column idea for another day.

Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 11 July 2022 Yet since its inception, it has been dogged by propaganda that paints it as diabolical sorcery—the perpetrators of chattel slavery led the earliest campaigns to portray Vodou as sinister.

Nadege Green, The Atlantic, 29 June 2022 See More

单词	diabolically
释义	diabolical adjective di·a·bol·i·cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl variants or diabolic ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-lik : of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish a diabolical plot diabolically ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-k(ə-)lē adverb diabolicalness ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl-nəs noun Did you know? 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." Synonyms cacodemonic demoniac demoniacal demonian demonic demonical devilish fiendish Luciferian satanic See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences the police quickly mobilized to track down the diabolical criminals before they struck again Recent Examples on the Web Would-be mass shooters, who often meticulously study previous shootings, now know that there may be a Don Surrett standing, with whatever weapon is at hand, between them and their diabolical endeavors. Jeff Eager, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 As previously announced, Hunter Schafer is playing Snow’s cousin and confidante Tigris Snow, Peter Dinklage is portraying Academy dean Casca Highbottom, and Viola Davis has been cast as Volumnia Gaul, the mastermind of the diabolical death-match. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 16 Aug. 2022 Roth and Hall are both excellent and carry the film for the first hour or so: she with her mix of instability and steel and he with his diabolical charm. Michael O'sullivan, Washington Post, 27 July 2022 Finally, the Devil’s Gate Bourbon pays tribute to the pioneers who would risk their lives traversing across Devil’s Gate, a narrow, rocky gorge, one of the most formidable and diabolical obstacles the pioneers had to cross. The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 July 2022 The Lincoln Lawyer, The Terminal List, starring Chris Pratt as a Navy Seal who uncovers a diabolical conspiracy concerning an overseas mission that went wrong, doesn’t feel like episodic television. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 1 July 2022 Ricky Gervais is on autopilot as Ika Chu, the diabolical Somali cat who wants to perfect the view from his palace by wiping Kakamucho off the map. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 13 July 2022 Math tells me that combining these sports into one new international discipline — Sumo break dancing — would be the most diabolical test of athleticism in the history of mankind, but that’s a column idea for another day. Joseph Goodman \| Jgoodman@al.com, al, 11 July 2022 Yet since its inception, it has been dogged by propaganda that paints it as diabolical sorcery—the perpetrators of chattel slavery led the earliest campaigns to portray Vodou as sinister. Nadege Green, The Atlantic, 29 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology diabolical from diabolic + -ical; diabolic going back to Middle English deabolik, borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French dyabolique, borrowed from Late Latin diabolicus, borrowed from Late Greek diabolikós, going back to Greek, "slanderous," from diábolos "accuser, backbiter, slanderer" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at devil entry 1 First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined above Kids Definition diabolical adjective di·a·bol·i·cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl variants or diabolic -ˈbä-lik : devilish sense 1 diabolically adverb as in fiendishly Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance fiendishly cruelly insensitively ruthlessly disagreeably pitilessly heartlessly mercilessly wickedly ungraciously unkindly callously inhumanely bitterly unfeelingly obnoxiously soullessly misanthropically malevolently villainously balefully viciously invidiously vindictively caustically maliciously venomously enviously ill-naturedly malignantly thoughtlessly jealously vituperatively hostilely antagonistically resentfully felly inconsiderately nastily hatefully virulently contemptuously spitefully ill rancorously acrimoniously disdainfully scornfully evil-mindedly caddishly hard-heartedly kindlessly despitefully cattily bitchily envyingly deprecatingly meanly Antonyms & Near Antonyms pleasantly benevolently kindly agreeably genially graciously affably benignantly amiably cordially nicely lovingly thoughtfully divinely mercifully soulfully humanely altruistically sensitively sweetly sympathetically considerately kindheartedly compassionately solicitously good-heartedly gently angelically feelingly good-naturedly good-humoredly tenderly softheartedly See More
随便看	Syro- Syro-Aramaic syro-babylonian Syro-Hittite Syrophoenician Syros syros syrphians syrphid syrphid fly Syrphidae syrphids syrphus fly syrrhapteses syrrhaptesses syrt syrtes syrtis Syrtis Major syrtis major Syrtis Minor syrts syrup syrup pan syruped

diabolical

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adverb