GEHENNA Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

Gehenna

noun

gi-ˈhe-nə

Definition of Gehenna

as in nightmare

a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness the depression that has enshrouded her since the death of her husband is a Gehenna from which she may never be released

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hell

the place of punishment for the wicked after death in a fire-and-brimstone sermon, the evangelist warned those assembled that they faced the fires of Gehenna if they failed to repent

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of Gehenna In Memoriam looks at these vampires and how they’ve been thrust into the limelight due to the Gehenna War. — Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025 The ball arcs toward Gehenna, and Kemp’s hyper narrator Naruto-runs off the page, trying kawaiily to get under it. — Alexandra Tanner, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Gehenna

Noun

That single choice unleashes a harrowing chain of strange and terrifying events in the dead of night, turning a simple gesture of kindness into a real-life nightmare.

— Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026
Acceptance Soenen’s denial eventually gave way to panic attacks and nightmares.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of nightmare

Noun

And look at the Johnson-less segments, like the overlong Weekend Update (more on that later) — or especially the stale-as-hell midterm ads political cold open, another excuse to run through all the usual impressions.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2026
Season 1 of The Watcher followed the Brannock family who moved into what was supposed to be their suburban dream home, and quickly became a living hell.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of hell

Noun

When John reveals the Halogram to Kerry (after fair warning), the look on her face is a mix of shock and agony.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026
Burns, 28, dropped to the ground in agony on his 25th snap of the Giants’ narrow 12-7 win over the Tennessee Titans.

— Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of agony

Noun

Four cars and two storage containers were damaged by the inferno, the fire department said.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
The crew use three tiers of flame bars behind Howell to spark the inferno that will snake through prom, fueled by the growing intensity of Carrie’s powers.

— Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of inferno

Noun

But sequences in the film that show his inner torment serve an important purpose, says Primetime editor Daniel Garber.

— Samantha Bergeson, Vanity Fair, 24 Sep. 2026
His wife later told the priest that her husband had felt relief for a few days, but that the real cause of his torment had probably been a brain tumor.

— David Owen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of torment

Noun

Cubs fans generally don’t care about the Sox, so their misery was focused solely on their team’s no-show performance at Petco Park.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
The origin story helps contextualize the misery and self-isolation of Cathy’s later years, as the madam of a Salinas whorehouse.

— Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of misery

Noun

The film fuses horror and crime with Hong Kong spiritual folklore, and is aimed at fans of midnight movies and cult cinema.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
There will be relief in France at the interior minister’s decision to ban one type of police grenade, as the injuries suffered by some teenage protesters has sparked widespread horror.

— Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of horror

Noun

After decades of repression, Egyptians were shaken by the brutal 2010 torture and killing of Khaled Saeed, a 28-year-old from Alexandria, who the police claimed had died after swallowing a packet of drugs.

— Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
In the Harry Potter books themselves, attempted murder and torture are ok if the Right People do them.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of torture

Browse Nearby Words

geezers

Gehenna

Gehennas

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Gehenna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Gehenna. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of Gehenna

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on Gehenna

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

inscrutable

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes