hell

[hel]

hell Definition

• 1. a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death
• 2. a state or place of great suffering; an unbearable experience

Using hell: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "hell" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  I feel like I'm going through hell right now.

• Example

  He's going to catch hell from his boss for missing the deadline.

• Example

  She's been through hell and back with her illness.

• Example

  I wouldn't wish that kind of hell on anyone.

hell Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for hell

• inferno
• underworld
• netherworld
• abyss
• perdition

Antonyms for hell

• heaven
• paradise

Idioms Using hell

• when hell freezes over

  never, under any circumstances

  Example

  I'll go bungee jumping when hell freezes over!

• a snowball's chance in hell

  an extremely small likelihood of success

  Example

  He has a snowball's chance in hell of winning the election.

• all hell breaks loose

  a chaotic or violent situation erupts

  Example

  When the referee made a bad call, all hell broke loose on the soccer field.

Phrases with hell

• raise hell

  to cause trouble or make a lot of noise in a wild or angry way

  Example

  The protesters were raising hell outside the courthouse.

• come hell or high water

  no matter what happens or what difficulties are faced

  Example

  I promised my friend I would be at her wedding, come hell or high water.

• give someone hell

  to criticize or punish someone severely

  Example

  His coach gave him hell for missing the game-winning shot.

Origins of hell

from Old English 'hel', related to German 'Hölle'

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Summary: hell in Brief

The term 'hell' [hel] refers to a place of spiritual evil and suffering in various religions, as well as a state or place of great suffering. It is often used metaphorically to describe unbearable experiences, such as 'She's been through hell and back with her illness.' 'Hell' also appears in idioms like 'raise hell,' meaning to cause trouble, and 'when hell freezes over,' meaning never.