hellhole

[ hel-hohl ]

noun

1. a place totally lacking in comfort, cleanliness, order, etc.
2. a place or establishment noted for its illegal or immoral practices.

hellhole

/ ˈhɛlˌhəʊl /

noun

1. an unpleasant or evil place

Word History and Origins

Origin of hellhole¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; hell, hole

Example Sentences

They get that the battle over reproductive rights stands in for the whole constellation of matters that will determine whether the U.S. remains free and prosperous, or whether it devolves into an authoritarian hellhole.

From Salon

He says she destroyed San Francisco as district attorney, destroyed the entire state as attorney general, and will turn the whole nation into a hellhole like California, as my colleague Mark Barabak recently noted.

From Los Angeles Times

What also remains true: The place can be a hellhole for hitters.

From Seattle Times

And if you think all indoor destinations for young people are sticky, smelly, depressing hellholes, check your assumptions at the unmarked front door.

From New York Times

Both are stuck in Lincoln City, a setting as bleak as any other sci-fi hellhole, wherein every day is a day without sunshine.

From New York Times