Definitions for diabolical
di·a·bol·i·cal

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. devilish, diabolic, diabolical, mephistophelian, mephistopheleanadjective

   showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil

   "devilish schemes"; "the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen"; "the diabolical expression on his face"; "a mephistophelian glint in his eye"

2. demonic, diabolic, diabolical, fiendish, hellish, infernal, satanic, unholyadjective

   extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell

   "something demonic in him--something that could be cruel"; "fires lit up a diabolic scene"; "diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils"; "a fiendish despot"; "hellish torture"; "infernal instruments of war"; "satanic cruelty"; "unholy grimaces"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. diabolicaladjective

   Extremely wicked or cruel.

2. diabolicaladjective

   Of or concerning the devil; satanic.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Diabolical, Diabolickadjective

   Devilish; partaking of the qualities of the devil; impious; atrocious; nefarious; pertaining to the devil.

   Etymology: from diabolus, Latin.

   This, in other beasts observ’d,
   Doubt might beget of diabolick pow’r,
   Active within, beyond the sense of brute. John Milton, Par. Lost.

   Does not the ambitious, the envious, and the revengeful man know very well, that the thirst of blood, and affectation of dominion by violence and oppression, is a most diabolical outrage upon the laws of God and Nature, and upon the common well-being of mankind? Roger L'Estrange.

   The practice of lying is a diabolical exercise, and they that use it are the devil’s children. John Ray, on the Creation.

   Damned spirits must needs be all envy, despair, and rage; and have so much of a diabolical nature in them, as to wish all men to share their misery. Francis Atterbury, Sermons.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. diabolical

   Diabolical generally refers to something that is extremely wicked, cruel or evil, similar to characteristics associated with the devil. It can also imply cunning or cleverness, especially in a negative context.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.0 / 1 vote

1. Diabolicaladjective

   pertaining to the devil; resembling, or appropriate, or appropriate to, the devil; devilish; infernal; impious; atrocious; nefarious; outrageously wicked; as, a diabolic or diabolical temper or act

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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How to pronounce diabolical?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say diabolical in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of diabolical in Chaldean Numerology is: 8

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of diabolical in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of diabolical in a Sentence

1. Pat Boone:

   God has a sense of humor. Why else would he invent the porcupine and the giraffe ? something can be devilishly funny, but this skit is diabolical. God has only one real enemy — Satan. Satan ridicules faith, and they’re taking Satan’s side. They’re also ridiculing me and the film, telling impressionableyoung people not to see it because it's ridiculous. Then they throw in that the lawyer is Jewish to make the Christian look even worse, but it’s just anti-Semitic.

2. A. E. Housman:

   In every American there is an air of incorrigible innocence, which seems to conceal a diabolical cunning.

3. Barbara Bowman:

   It makes me sick, and it sends a very wrong message about what consent really means, consent is not the absence of a' no.' And when you put drugs and alcohol in the mix, and put a person into a state of impairment and incapacitation where they're not able to respond in a normal setting, it's manipulative. It's diabolical. It's controlling. And it's typical behavior and thinking of a sociopath.

4. Alex Beresford:

   This is absolutely diabolical behavior, i ’m sorry, but Piers Morgan spouts off on a regular basis and we all have to sit there and listen. ? ITV then announced that Piers Morgan had decided to leave.

5. Hank Johnson:

   It seems like this is a renegade contractor visiting abuse on military personnel and live animals, it’s mind-boggling. It’s like a diabolical mad scientist at work in a horror movie.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=diabolical
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Diabolical
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=diabolical
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical
6. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=diabolical