What does infernal mean?
Infernal is an adjective describing something associated with hell, evil, or extreme unpleasantness. Its older and more literal sense refers to hell and the devil, as in descriptions of infernal regions or infernal punishments. In contemporary English, however, it is more commonly used as an emphatic expression of annoyance or disgust: an infernal noise, an infernal headache, or an infernal traffic jam. The word can be genuinely severe in tone, but it is also frequently humorous or hyperbolic. It belongs to a literary and somewhat dramatic register, so formal writing may prefer alternatives such as hellish, dreadful, or simply awful. Infernal should not be confused with internal, which means within a particular space, organization, or system.
adjectiveRelating to hell or resembling hell; extremely bad, unpleasant, or objectionable.
- Of or relating to hell; devilish or hellish.
- Extremely bad, unpleasant, or objectionable.
"The old engine made an infernal noise that echoed through the workshop."
"We endured an infernal journey through traffic and pouring rain."
"The novel depicts an infernal landscape of fire, darkness, and punishment."
The phrase “infernal machine” was once used for devices intended to cause destructive violence, giving this everyday adjective a surprisingly sinister political history.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does infernal come from?
Infernal comes through French from Latin infernalis, an adjective derived from infernus, “of hell” or “belonging to the underworld.” The Latin root also underlies inferno, which entered English from Italian and refers to hell or a very large conflagration. The word has been used in English since the late 16th century, initially in religious and literary contexts before developing its modern figurative use for extreme unpleasantness.
Related word forms
How infernal is actually used
In modern informal use, infernal is often hyperbolic, especially in phrases such as “infernal noise” or “an infernal wait.” It can sound literary or deliberately exaggerated rather than literally theological.
Easily confused with infernal
Infernal means hellish or extremely objectionable, whereas internal means existing or occurring within something.