That magazine article exposed his devilish acts to the full light of day.
Source: tatoeba (47755)
Devilish
/ˈdɛvəlɪʃ/
Synonyms for "devilish" (131 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (27)
Strong matches (39)
Related words (65)
inhumaneiniquitousknavishletheanmadcapmaleficentmalevolentmalignmalignantmephistophelianmischief-lovingmischievousmurderousnaughtynefariousogreishpandemoniacpandemonicplayfulplutonian
Show 38 more words
plutonicprankishpranksomeprankypuckishpurgatorialroguishruthlesssadisticsanguinarysanguineoussatanicsavagescampishscapegraceserpentinesharkishsinfulsinisterslaveringsportivestygiansubhumansulfuroustartareantrickishtricksytruculentunchristianuncivilizedungodlyunhallowedunhumanviciousvillainouswaggishwickedwolfish
Adjective(7 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: diabolical, accursed, acherontic, animal, anthropophagous.
- Sentence evidence is available for devilish, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "devilish".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "devilish"
Keep "devilish" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "devilish" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "devilish", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "devilish" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriesMore specific
4 entriesCollocations
5 entriesdevilish charmdevilish cunningdevilish grindevilish schemesdevilish smile
Inflections
2 entriesmore devilishmost devilish
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
2 entriesSample sentences
17 total sentences available.
Tobacco, divine, rare, superexcellent tobacco, which goes far beyond all the panaceas, potable gold, and philosopher's stones, a sovereign remedy to all diseases...but as it is commonly abused by most men, which take it as tinkers do ale, 'tis a plague, a mischief, a violent purger of goods, lands, health, hellish, devilish and damned tobacco, the ruin and overthrow of body and soul.
Source: tatoeba (411108)
Although it may be human to sin, it is, however, devilish to continue to sin.
Source: tatoeba (6333915)
Her cheeks were crimson, her whole body from head to foot instinct and alive with a beauty that to Cyrus and Deborah, as they stood mute with horror in the open doorway, seemed akin to some devilish enchantment.
Source: tatoeba (10791346)
Showing 4 of 17 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "devilish"?
Closest matches include diabolical, accursed, acherontic, animal, anthropophagous.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "devilish"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.