fiendish
gb/fˈindɪʃ/ us/fˈindɪʃ/
C1
English
ördögi, ördöngös, fondorlatos, brutális, kegyetlen
C1
1
ördögi
B2
Usage pattern:
fiendish [cruelty/act/attack/crime]
The detective described the crime as fiendish in its cruelty.
A nyomozó a bűncselekményt ördögien kegyetlennek írta le.
They uncovered a fiendish pattern of abuse hidden behind a respectable image.
Feltártak egy tiszteletreméltó külső mögé rejtett, ördögi bántalmazási rendszert.
The film’s villain commits a series of fiendish acts.
Learner examples
It was a fiendish plan to hurt people.
Ez egy ördögi terv volt arra, hogy embereknek ártsanak.
The story describes a fiendish villain.
A történet egy ördögi gonosztevőt mutat be.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with 'devilish' used humorously; 'fiendish' often sounds stronger and more negative.
Meaning
cruel or evil in nature
Collocations
fiendish cruelty
|fiendish act
|fiendish murder
|fiendish attack
|fiendish torture
|fiendish villain
|fiendish laughter
|fiendish delight
|fiendish intent
|fiendish behavior
Synonyms
diabolical (More formal; strongly suggests evil intent.)
|
demonic (Emphasizes an inhuman, supernatural kind of evil.)
|
devilish (Can be less severe and sometimes playful, depending on context.)
Antonyms
benevolent (Opposite in intent: kind and well-meaning.)
|
angelic (Suggests goodness rather than evil.)
Themes
crime
|violence
|morality
|emotions
Definition
very cruel or very evil
Extremely cruel, wicked, or evil, as if showing the kind of malice associated with a devil or demon.
C1
2
ördöngös
C1
Usage pattern:
a fiendish [problem/task/puzzle/question]
The final question was fiendish, and hardly anyone finished in time.
Az utolsó kérdés ördöngösen nehéz volt, és szinte senki sem végzett időben.
She set her team a fiendish task to test their skills.
Egy ördöngös feladatot adott a csapatának, hogy próbára tegye a képességeiket.
It’s a fiendish puzzle, but the solution is elegant.
Learner examples
This math problem is fiendish.
Ez a matekfeladat ördöngösen nehéz.
The exam was fiendish.
A vizsga ördöngösen nehéz volt.
Common mistake:
Do not use it for only slightly difficult things; it suggests extreme difficulty.
Meaning
extremely difficult to do
Collocations
fiendish problem
|fiendish puzzle
|fiendish question
|fiendish task
|fiendish exam
|fiendish calculation
|fiendish schedule
|fiendish deadline
|fiendish complexity
|fiendish to solve
Synonyms
difficult (Neutral and less intense.)
|
tricky (Suggests clever difficulty, often smaller in scale.)
|
taxing (Emphasizes effort and strain.)
Antonyms
easy (Not requiring much effort.)
|
straightforward (Simple to understand or do.)
Themes
education
|work
|problem_solving
Definition
very difficult
Very difficult to understand, solve, or deal with.
C1
3
fondorlatos
C1
ördögi
B2
Usage pattern:
a fiendish [scheme/plot/trick/device]
He came up with a fiendish trick to get his rival blamed.
Kieszelt egy fondorlatos trükköt, hogy a riválisára terelje a gyanút.
The novel revolves around a fiendish plot to sabotage the election.
A regény középpontjában egy fondorlatos terv áll a választás elszabotálására.
It was a fiendish trap, simple on the surface but hard to escape.
Learner examples
They used a fiendish trick to win.
Egy fondorlatos trükköt használtak, hogy nyerjenek.
It was a fiendish plot.
Ez egy fondorlatos terv volt.
Common mistake:
Not the same as 'ingenious' (which is usually positive); 'fiendish' suggests harm or malice.
Meaning
cleverly designed to cause harm
Collocations
fiendish scheme
|fiendish plot
|fiendish trick
|fiendish plan
|fiendish device
|fiendish trap
|fiendish invention
|fiendish twist
|fiendish idea
|fiendish design
Synonyms
devious (Emphasizes indirect, dishonest methods.)
|
cunning (Highlights cleverness, often with a self-serving motive.)
|
scheming (Focuses on secret planning to achieve something bad.)
Antonyms
honest (Not deceitful or underhanded.)
|
innocent (Not intended to cause harm.)
Themes
conflict
|crime
|strategy
Definition
clever but in a bad way
Clever in a way that is mean, devious, or designed to cause trouble.
C1
INFORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
fiendish [heat/pain/hangover]
We hiked in fiendish heat and ran out of water by noon.
Brutális hőségben túráztunk, és délre elfogyott a vizünk.
He woke up with a fiendish headache after the long flight.
A hosszú repülőút után brutális fejfájással ébredt.
The drive was delayed by fiendish weather in the mountains.
Learner examples
I had a fiendish headache.
Brutális fejfájásom volt.
It was fiendish heat.
Brutális hőség volt.
Common mistake:
This is a strong, often dramatic choice; for neutral descriptions, prefer 'severe' or 'very bad'.
Meaning
extremely unpleasant or harsh
Collocations
fiendish heat
|fiendish pain
|fiendish headache
|fiendish hangover
|fiendish weather
|fiendish conditions
|fiendish cold
|fiendish discomfort
|fiendish noise
|fiendish smell
Synonyms
awful (Common and general; less vivid.)
|
severe (More neutral and precise, especially for pain or weather.)
|
hellish (Similar intensity; strongly emphasizes suffering.)
Antonyms
pleasant (Enjoyable rather than harsh.)
|
mild (Not severe or intense.)
Themes
health
|weather
|daily_life
|emotions
Definition
very unpleasant or painful
Extremely unpleasant, harsh, or painful; severe in a way that feels almost cruel.
Grammar
Dictionary form
fiendish
IPA
GB/fˈindɪʃ/
US/fˈindɪʃ/
Syllables & stress
fiendish (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (fiendish)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: fiendish
Word family
Core family
fiend
noun B2
fiendishly
adverb C1
Advanced or less common
fiendishness
noun
Expressions
a fiendish grin
1/ə fˈindɪʃ ɡɹˈɪn/
fixed phrase
an evil-looking smile
a smile that looks evil
Examples
- He turned to the camera with a fiendish grin.
- She gave a fiendish grin as she revealed the surprise.
- The villain wore a fiendish grin throughout the scene.
Learner examples
- He had a fiendish grin.
a fiendish plot
1/ə fˈindɪʃ plˈɑt/
fixed phrase
a cruel, clever plan
a very bad and clever plan
Examples
- Investigators uncovered a fiendish plot to poison the water supply.
- The series follows a fiendish plot to frame an innocent man.
- He was arrested before the fiendish plot could be carried out.
Learner examples
- They stopped a fiendish plot.
a fiendish puzzle
1/ə fˈindɪʃ pˈʌzəl/
fixed phrase
an extremely hard puzzle
a puzzle that is very difficult
Examples
- This book is full of fiendish puzzles for advanced players.
- She loves a fiendish puzzle that takes hours to finish.
- The escape room ends with a fiendish puzzle under time pressure.
Learner examples
- It is a fiendish puzzle.