adjective
-
of, relating to, or characteristic of a demon; fiendish
-
inspired or possessed by a demon, or seemingly so
demonic laughter
Other Word Forms
- demonically adverb
- superdemonic adjective
Etymology
Origin of demonic
1655–65; < Late Latin daemonicus < Greek daimonikós, equivalent to daimon- demon- + -ikos -ic
Explanation
Demonic is a word to describe behavior or people who are extremely evil or cruel. It helps to understand this word if you know a demon is a creature of hell. Demonic has that same kind of hellish, diabolical, fiendish, infernal, satanic, unholy quality. This word should not be used lightly. Stealing a candy bar, though wrong, is not demonic. Truly evil behavior, like being a serial killer, is more likely to be described as demonic. In superhero movies, the supervillains are likely to be demonic, since they are more evil than common storybook villains.
Vocabulary lists containing demonic
"What Is the Horror Genre?" Vocabulary from the literary criticism
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Evil
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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.
Olivier’s demonic anger at the world came through clearly, whereas Mr. Elordi’s Heathcliff seems as though he’d be content to simply peel away Catherine from Edgar.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
Mick Jagger, the demonic frontman, was barely slowed by the replacement of his aortic valve in 2019.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
Amid all of this, Scotland put in some almighty defensive sets, repelling the All Blacks with a demonic intent.
From BBC • Nov. 8, 2025
Wittingly or not, Gaines seems to understand that her ability to play the “victim” of these supposedly demonic trans forces depends on presenting herself as girlish.
From Salon • Oct. 27, 2025
It burst out of him, but he did his best to sound like a demonic villain.
From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman
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.
