adjective
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excruciatingly bad; outrageous
-
(intensifier)
a diabolical liberty
Other Word Forms
- diabolically adverb
- diabolicalness noun
- hyperdiabolical adjective
- hyperdiabolically adverb
- hyperdiabolicalness noun
- nondiabolical adjective
- nondiabolically adverb
- nondiabolicalness noun
- superdiabolical adjective
- superdiabolically adverb
- superdiabolicalness noun
Etymology
Origin of diabolical
First recorded in 1500–10; from Late Latin diabolicus ( diabolic ( def. ) ) + -al 1 ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Product designers are hatching new ways to rouse them that border on diabolical.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026
"In the midst of the fear of my grandmother's health and well-being this was diabolical, this was shambolic, that the first person to contact me was describing this as a 'wee incident'."
From BBC • Dec. 18, 2025
The diabolical move from Riley would pay off.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2025
The promise remains dazzling and deliciously diabolical enough for adherents to forget that deals with the devil always come with a hidden, inescapable price tag.
From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025
It was neither diabolical nor divine; it but shook the doors of the prison house of my disposition; and like the captives of Philippi, that which stood within ran forth.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
