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

Examples of diabolical in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples on the Web

Anchoring these diabolical lyrical flights is a collection of enticingly busy sound sculptures: trap drums, soul samples, ominous keys, and other melodic embellishments sparkling in the mix like the gilded garments gracing an irate monarch. —Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Dec. 2024

From its evocative postwar-Paris flashbacks to the diabolical twists that kept fans screaming with each new episode, Interview might be 2024’s most purely pleasurable show. —Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024

Side-note: The Man In Yellow reminds me of The Man With The Thistledown Hair from Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, who was a powerful wicked faerie who makes a diabolical deal with a human that has profound and terrible consequences. —Erik Kain, Forbes, 25 Nov. 2024

Smith, who long has cut an impressive swath on Chicago’s stages, got a star’s welcome at Thursday’s opening and leaned fully into the responsibility, turning their many tentacled character into a diva diabolical enough to scare any school away. —Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 15 Nov. 2024

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

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Kids Definition

diabolical

adjective

di·​a·​bol·​i·​cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbäl-i-kəl 

variants or diabolic

-ˈbäl-ik 

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

diabolically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

diabolicalness

-i-kəl-nəs 

noun