the devil

noun
UK: /ˌðə ˈdev.əl/
US: /ˌðə ˈdev.əl/

  1. The most powerful evil spirit, often represented as a horned figure, who is considered the ruler of hell.

    1. Some people think the Devil makes people do bad things. [ ] [ ]
    2. The priest spoke of the Devil's influence on the corrupted souls of the damned. [ ] [ ]

  2. A very wicked or cruel person.

    1. He can be the Devil when he is angry. [ ] [ ]
    2. My neighbor is the Devil, always complaining about my car in the driveway. [ ] [ ]

  3. Used in exclamations of surprise, frustration, or annoyance.

    1. The Devil you say I'm late! [ ] [ ]
    2. The Devil it is I'll be doing that chore myself if nobody is helping here! [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

satan lucifer demon fiend
the devil verb

  1. To annoy or persecute someone relentlessly.

    1. Don't let him the Devil you, stand up for yourself. [ ] [ ]
    2. The memories of the accident continued to the Devil the victim, causing sleepless nights. [ ] [ ]
the devil adjective

  1. Describing something extremely difficult, unpleasant, or annoying.

    1. It was the Devil of a job to fix it. [ ] [ ]
    2. We had the Devil of a time trying to get the car started in the cold weather. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "the devil" in English means: The most powerful evil spirit, often represented as a horned figure, who is considered the ruler of hell., A very wicked or cruel person., Used in exclamations of surprise, frustration, or annoyance..

The phonetic transcription of "the devil" is /ˌðə ˈdev.əl/ in British English and /ˌðə ˈdev.əl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "the devil": satan, lucifer, demon, fiend.

Example usage of "the devil": "Some people think the Devil makes people do bad things.". More examples on the page.