Some words and phrases sound scary, but they can be interesting too. In the USA, people often use strong expressions to show how they feel. One kind of strong language is using “hell” in idioms. These idioms do not mean real fire or danger. They help people share big feelings like anger, trouble, or hard times.
Many of these idioms are used in everyday talk in America. They might sound serious, but they are often used in funny or casual ways too. If someone says, “it’s a hell of a day,” they may just mean the day was very busy. In this article, we will look at 25 common idioms about hell. You’ll learn what they mean and how people use them in the United States.
Idioms About Hell
1. Go to hell
Meaning: A rude way to tell someone to leave or stop bothering you
Example Sentence:
• He told the boy to go to hell after the argument.
• “Go to hell,” she said when he was being mean.
Other ways to say: Get lost, buzz off
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase became popular in American speech in the 1800s.
Usage: Used when someone is very angry or wants someone to leave them alone.
2. Hell on wheels
Meaning: A person or thing that is wild, tough, or hard to manage
Example Sentence:
• That toddler is hell on wheels at the grocery store.
• Grandma said I was hell on wheels as a kid.
Other ways to say: Wild, hard to handle
Fun Fact/Origin: Came from rough railroad towns in the 1860s USA.
Usage: Used in the USA to describe people or things that cause a lot of trouble.
3. Go through hell
Meaning: To have a very bad experience or hard time
Example Sentence:
• She went through hell during the storm.
• We went through hell trying to fix the broken car.
Other ways to say: Struggle a lot, suffer
Fun Fact/Origin: Based on the idea of going through a place full of pain.
Usage: Used when someone faces serious trouble or pain.
4. When hell freezes over
Meaning: Something that will never happen
Example Sentence:
• I’ll do his homework when hell freezes over.
• He said he’d apologize when hell freezes over.
Other ways to say: Not a chance, no way
Fun Fact/Origin: Hell is thought of as hot, so freezing is seen as impossible.
Usage: Used in the USA to say something will never happen.
5. Like a bat out of hell
Meaning: Very fast or wild movement
Example Sentence:
• He ran like a bat out of hell when the dog barked.
• The car drove off like a bat out of hell.
Other ways to say: Super fast, rushed
Fun Fact/Origin: Bats are linked with darkness and fear, and this phrase adds wild speed.
Usage: Often used to describe someone or something moving quickly in the USA.
6. Hell-bent on
Meaning: Determined to do something, even if it’s risky
Example Sentence:
• He’s hell-bent on winning the race.
• She was hell-bent on proving her point.
Other ways to say: Dead set on, determined
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase shows someone is so focused they won’t stop for anything.
Usage: Used in both serious and fun ways in American English.
7. Raise hell
Meaning: To cause trouble or be loud and wild
Example Sentence:
• The kids raised hell at the birthday party.
• He raised hell after getting a parking ticket.
Other ways to say: Stir up trouble, cause a scene
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase means acting wild enough to bring chaos like hell.
Usage: Common in USA for noisy or angry actions.
8. Catch hell
Meaning: To get in trouble or be yelled at
Example Sentence:
• He caught hell for skipping practice.
• She caught hell when the teacher saw her phone.
Other ways to say: Get in trouble, get yelled at
Fun Fact/Origin: This idiom compares strong punishment to facing heat or fire.
Usage: Often used by parents or teachers in the USA.
9. Hell to pay
Meaning: Serious consequences
Example Sentence:
• There’ll be hell to pay if you break that window.
• He knew there’d be hell to pay if he lied again.
Other ways to say: Big trouble, serious punishment
Fun Fact/Origin: Implies a strong reaction or result after a mistake.
Usage: Used in warnings or after someone breaks rules.
10. Between hell and high water
Meaning: Facing many problems but still going forward
Example Sentence:
• She came to school between hell and high water.
• He finished the project between hell and high water.
Other ways to say: No matter what, through thick and thin
Fun Fact/Origin: This phrase means pushing through fire (hell) and flood (high water).
Usage: Used to show strong will or effort in tough times in the USA.
11. Scare the hell out of (someone)
Meaning: To frighten someone very badly
Example Sentence:
• That loud noise scared the hell out of me.
• The dog scared the hell out of the mailman.
Other ways to say: Terrify, freak out
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “hell” adds strong emotion to show how big the fear was.
Usage: Often used casually in the USA when something really surprises or scares you.
12. Hell of a (something)
Meaning: Something very big, extreme, or amazing
Example Sentence:
• That was a hell of a game last night.
• We had a hell of a time finding parking.
Other ways to say: Really great, super hard
Fun Fact/Origin: The phrase adds power or emotion to whatever is being described.
Usage: Used both in good and bad ways, depending on tone.
13. Like hell
Meaning: Not true or not going to happen
Example Sentence:
• Like hell I’m going to that party.
• You think I forgot? Like hell I did.
Other ways to say: No way, absolutely not
Fun Fact/Origin: A strong way to reject something with anger or disbelief.
Usage: Common in American slang to show refusal.
14. Get the hell out
Meaning: Leave quickly or forcefully
Example Sentence:
• Get the hell out of here before he sees you.
• He told them to get the hell out after the argument.
Other ways to say: Leave now, scram
Fun Fact/Origin: Adds emotion and urgency to “get out.”
Usage: Often used when someone is mad or scared.
15. To hell with (something)
Meaning: Stop caring about something
Example Sentence:
• To hell with the rules, let’s have fun.
• She said, “To hell with it,” and quit the game.
Other ways to say: Forget it, who cares
Fun Fact/Origin: A way to show strong emotion or letting go of something annoying.
Usage: Used in casual American speech when someone gives up or stops caring.
16. Like hell you will
Meaning: Saying someone definitely won’t do something
Example Sentence:
• Like hell you will skip class again.
• “I’m taking your car.” “Like hell you are!”
Other ways to say: No chance, over my dead body
Fun Fact/Origin: Strong way to deny or block someone’s plan.
Usage: Common in arguments or when defending a rule.
17. A cold day in hell
Meaning: Something very unlikely to happen
Example Sentence:
• It’ll be a cold day in hell before I forgive him.
• She’ll cook dinner? That’ll be a cold day in hell.
Other ways to say: Never, impossible
Fun Fact/Origin: Hell is known as hot, so cold means strange or not real.
Usage: Used in American jokes and sarcasm.
18. Hell-bent for leather
Meaning: Going very fast, often without care
Example Sentence:
• He drove hell-bent for leather down the highway.
• She ran hell-bent for leather to catch the bus.
Other ways to say: Full speed, in a rush
Fun Fact/Origin: Cowboy slang for riding fast and wild.
Usage: Popular in older American stories and westerns.
19. Hell to get through
Meaning: Very difficult or painful experience
Example Sentence:
• Finals week was hell to get through.
• The flu was hell to get through.
Other ways to say: Tough time, super hard
Fun Fact/Origin: Adds drama to show how hard something was.
Usage: Used when sharing struggles in everyday USA talk.
20. Give someone hell
Meaning: To treat someone harshly or tease them
Example Sentence:
• The coach gave us hell during practice.
• He gives his little brother hell all the time.
Other ways to say: Tease, be rough on
Fun Fact/Origin: Often used in sports and playful arguments.
Usage: Can mean tough love or playful teasing.
21. Move heaven and hell
Meaning: Do whatever it takes
Example Sentence:
• He moved heaven and hell to find his lost dog.
• They’ll move heaven and hell to win the prize.
Other ways to say: Go all out, try everything
Fun Fact/Origin: Shows effort so big it would even shift heaven and hell.
Usage: Common in American expressions of strong effort.
22. Hell in a handbasket
Meaning: Things going bad fast
Example Sentence:
• Everything’s going to hell in a handbasket at work.
• The project went to hell in a handbasket after he left.
Other ways to say: Falling apart, getting worse
Fun Fact/Origin: The “handbasket” part adds a strange twist to the phrase.
Usage: Used to describe chaos or failure.
23. All hell breaks loose
Meaning: Total chaos begins
Example Sentence:
• When the teacher left, all hell broke loose.
• The fans stormed the field and all hell broke loose.
Other ways to say: Chaos starts, things go crazy
Fun Fact/Origin: “Hell” adds a wild image of disorder.
Usage: Common in stories, games, or wild events.
24. Hellfire and brimstone
Meaning: Strong, loud warning about punishment
Example Sentence:
• The coach gave a hellfire and brimstone speech.
• The preacher warned of hellfire and brimstone.
Other ways to say: Harsh warning, scary speech
Fun Fact/Origin: Comes from religious language about punishment.
Usage: Used for strong warnings, especially in serious talks.
25. Hell of a time
Meaning: A really hard or really fun time (depends on how it’s said)
Example Sentence:
• We had a hell of a time trying to fix the tire.
• They had a hell of a time at the concert.
Other ways to say: Great time or rough time
Fun Fact/Origin: The word “hell” adds drama — good or bad.
Usage: Used both for strong fun or strong struggle, depending on tone.
Quiz: Idioms About Hell
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question. Each question is based on idioms about hell. Pick the choice that shows you understand the meaning. These are real-life examples Americans may use.
Question Key
1. What does “go through hell” mean?
a) Take a fun trip
b) Suffer a lot or face hard times
c) Sleep peacefully
2. If someone is “hell-bent on winning,” what does that mean?
a) They don’t care about the result
b) They are very determined
c) They’re thinking about quitting
3. What does “like a bat out of hell” describe?
a) Very fast or wild movement
b) Someone who is sleepy
c) A very quiet person
4. What does “all hell breaks loose” mean?
a) Everything becomes calm
b) Things get very loud and crazy
c) People go to sleep
5. What does “hell to pay” mean?
a) Win a prize
b) Face serious trouble
c) Get a good grade
6. “To hell with homework,” means what?
a) Someone is excited to do homework
b) Someone doesn’t care about homework
c) Someone needs help with homework
7. “Scare the hell out of me” means what?
a) Make someone laugh
b) Make someone feel sleepy
c) Frighten someone very badly
8. If someone says, “It’ll be a cold day in hell,” what do they mean?
a) It will happen soon
b) It might happen next week
c) It will never happen
9. What does “catch hell” mean?
a) Get in trouble
b) Win a prize
c) Watch a movie
10. “Raise hell” means what?
a) Stay silent
b) Cause trouble or be wild
c) Help others quietly
Answer Key
- b) Suffer a lot or face hard times
- b) They are very determined
- a) Very fast or wild movement
- b) Things get very loud and crazy
- b) Face serious trouble
- b) Someone doesn’t care about homework
- c) Frighten someone very badly
- c) It will never happen
- a) Get in trouble
- b) Cause trouble or be wild
Wrapping Up
Idioms about hell might sound strong, but many people in the USA use them in everyday speech. They help show feelings like anger, stress, or surprise. Learning them helps you understand what people really mean, even if the words sound harsh. These phrases are part of how Americans speak in daily life, from jokes to serious talks.
Try using some of these idioms when you watch shows or talk with others. It makes learning English more fun and real.
