devil 1 of 2

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as in Satan
capitalized the supreme personification of evil often represented as the ruler of hell the Devil is traditionally seen as a being who relentlessly tempts people to commit evil

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as in cowboy
a person who seeks out very dangerous or foolhardy adventures with no apparent fear originally snowboarders were regarded as devils on the slopes and a menace to skiers

Synonyms & Similar Words

devil

2 of 2

verb

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of devil
Noun
On her journey, Gerda makes friends with people, birds, beasts, and a kind witch, unaware that a hostile, unseen enemy – the Snow Queen and her devil apprentice, Louie – is watching her. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 7 May 2025 Image An earnest aspiring journalist (Anne Hathaway) takes the assistant job from hell at an iconic fashion magazine; the very chic devil is played by a terrifying, ice-blonde Meryl Streep. Leah Greenblatt, New York Times, 2 May 2025
Verb
It’s also designed to better accommodate female astronauts, a problem that has deviled the space agency in the past. Tim Fernholz, Quartz, 16 Mar. 2023 Highlights include a variety of cheese, smoked salmon, prosciutto, deviled egg salad, biscuits, bagels and baguettes and cinnamon rolls. Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2020 See All Example Sentences for devil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for devil
Noun
  • The opening moments cement its tonal dissonance as, with a twang of Daniel Kowalski’s spare, uneasy score, a brief prologue with fire, a flailing figure and mutterings about Satan snaps to a far more banal view of an empty street lined with dim, shuttered houses under a low, gray sky.
    Jessica Kiang, Variety, 30 May 2025
  • Also in the family name is Mistress Isabelle Brooks, Drag Race’s sequined Satan with a smile.
    Chris Feil, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Together, the two men battle the forces of evil, each other, and their own demons on the path to salvation.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 27 May 2025
  • Other days, some of the old demons on the forehand and the serve resurface.
    Corey Seymour, Vogue, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • Kim Ng, who became the first female GM in the history of major North American men’s pro team sports when the Miami Marlins hired her to run the team’s baseball operations in 2020, is taking on a new challenge: building softball’s version of the WNBA.
    Sean Gregory, Time, 6 June 2025
  • The second man then took off on foot down an alley on 46th Street.
    Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
Noun
  • Both Judy and the monkey lost their mothers at young ages, except Dr. Watson copes by caring for people while Judy pushes them away.
    Carole Horst, Variety, 1 June 2025
  • High-profile cases in recent years include a monkey torture ring originating in Indonesia which was exposed and dismantled in 2023.
    Rebecca Wright, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • New threats emerge, including a ruthless new villain (Bill Skarsgård) and a blind assassin from Wick’s past, played by Donnie Yen in a standout performance.
    Emily Blackwood, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • Nicholas Hoult plays the film’s villain, the megalomaniac super-genius Lex Luthor.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 5 June 2025
Noun
  • Opposites attract in this story of a spoiled pop princess and a cowboy.
    Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
  • The series will highlight the tense showdowns between lawmen and outlaws, the rise of cowboys and ranchers, the strength of pioneer women and the drive of abolitionists and fortune seekers who helped shape the American frontier.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • As a girl, she was also tormented by a reddish blotchiness on her face, most likely from rosacea or acne.
    James Marcus, New Yorker, 2 June 2025
  • As with Lydia, June is able to reconcile somewhat with Serena (Yvonne Strahovski), who tormented her as the wife of Fred Waterford (Joseph Fiennes), June's first master.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • The 10-episode Exiles comes from a new creative team, with Jason Ning (Lucifer) as showrunner.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 21 May 2025
  • Production on the spinoff is set to begin this summer in Los Angeles, with Jason Ning (Lucifer, Mrs. Davis) tapped to serve as showrunner.
    Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 19 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/devil. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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