hellacious

or hel·la·ceous

[ he-ley-shuhs ]

adjective

, Slang.

1. remarkable; astonishing:

   They're raising a hellacious amount of money in taxes.

2. formidably difficult:

   We had a hellacious time getting here in the blizzard.

hellacious

/ hɛˈleɪʃəs /

adjective

1. remarkable; horrifying
2. wonderful; excellent

Word History and Origins

Origin of hellacious¹

hell + -acious (extracted from audacious, sagacious, vivacious, etc.), perhaps with intensive or augmentative force; bodacious, splendacious

Word History and Origins

Origin of hellacious¹

C20: from hell + -acious as in audacious

Example Sentences

A younger married pair named Nick and Honey come over for the world’s longest and most hellacious nightcap.

From New York Times

Saban had turned another national stage into a disaster, a vast abyss of icy winds and hellacious fury.

From Los Angeles Times

Short-handed and gassed thanks to a hellacious schedule that’s had the team on the road 11 times in the last 14 games, the Lakers found a level of confidence and intensity its mostly only flashed since winning the in-season tournament.

From Los Angeles Times

A hellacious stretch continues Thursday in Minnesota.

From Los Angeles Times

Behind the scenes, the summer of 2017 through the fall of 2018 encompassed the most “hellacious” period of Musk’s life, Isaacson writes: “Musk went through periods when he oscillated between depression, stupor, giddiness, and manic energy.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• best
• brilliant
• consummate
• excellent
• exceptional
• extraordinary
• fine
• magnificent
• nonpareil
• peerless
• superlative
• supreme