1
as in demonic
of, relating to, or worthy of an evil spirit
a fiendish delight in playing cruel tricks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
shook with fiendish laughter as he watched his victims writhe in agony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 fiendish
But commercializing nuclear fusion still remains a long way off as scientists work to solve fiendish engineering and scientific difficulties.
—
Laura Paddison, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
In the 1940s, the deviled egg was a cocktail party staple and today the fiendish eggs are still a potluck favorite.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The great-grandfathers could be said to resemble fiendish claves.
—Jay Pilgreen, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
At least the miscreant is sentenced to return to his original trajectory as a particularly fiendish version of the death penalty.
—Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fiendish 
Laura Paddison, CNN, 1 Apr. 2024
In the 1940s, the deviled egg was a cocktail party staple and today the fiendish eggs are still a potluck favorite.
—Sarah Mosqueda, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024
The great-grandfathers could be said to resemble fiendish claves.
—Jay Pilgreen, Kansas City Star, 12 Feb. 2024
At least the miscreant is sentenced to return to his original trajectory as a particularly fiendish version of the death penalty.
—Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for fiendish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiendish
Adjective
-
Trifonov’s concerto appearances, here and elsewhere, have courted the same comparisons to demonic possession that once trailed Liszt and Paganini.Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 20 Nov. 2024
-
American movie history is full of classic horror stories involving demonic possession.Mary Carole McCauley, Baltimore Sun, 12 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Tyson was known for his brutal knockouts, as his first 19 fights ended early — 12 in the first round.Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
-
In our age of brutal wars, authoritarian politics, cultures of contempt, and technology that promises to replace us with machines, what is left of the idea of the human being?George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Set against the backdrop of the War of the Roses, The Dreadful follows Anne (Turner) and her sinister mother-in-law Morwen (Harden), who live a solitary, harsh life on the outskirts of society.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
-
Specifically, Bill becomes increasingly aware of young girls being held and abused by the nuns of his convent, led by a sinister mother superior, Sister Mary (played with dark-eyed, cold-hearted terror by Emily Watson).Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The in-person aspects of the contest have remained generally positive, but online, with each new addition, the very nature of commenting on people’s bodies, looks, and attractiveness is basically heavy bait for someone to eventually say something cruel.CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Yet some began to blanch at this cruel ostentation.Tim Gallagher, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
On the night of November 30, 1936, thousands of London residents flocked to Sydenham Hill in the English capital’s southeast to witness a vicious, roaring blaze.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Nov. 2024
-
Now, with Punk casting yet another stone at Rollins, that should send Rollins into a frenzy and reignite a vicious feud between Rollins and Punk that is still expected to culminate at WrestleMania 41.Blake Oestriecher, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
-
The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
-
The film’s real secret weapon, and where so many superhero films go wrong, is with its formidable and multidimensional villain, Dr. Octopus, played with diabolical deliciousness by Alfred Molina.David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024
-
The camera floats around the room like an invisible spider, circling and circling, weaving this trio into a diabolical web.Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The ruthless military officer with the monocle and the swagger stick who sends his men to senseless death and/or turns traitor.Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
-
Her wife and now-teenage daughter stood by her throughout the process, despite ruthless coverage from Mexican and Spanish news outlets, some of which continue to misgender and deadname her to this day.Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near fiendish
Cite this Entry
“Fiendish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiendish. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share