hell-for-leather 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of hell-for-leathernext
as in reckless
having or showing a lack of concern for the consequences of one's actions having been behind for most of the race, the stock car driver made a hell-for-leather dash to the finish

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hell-for-leather

2 of 2

adverb

ˈhel-fər-ˈle-ṯẖər How to pronounce hell-for-leather (audio)
as in quickly
with great speed we ran hell-for-leather out of that spooky house

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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 hell-for-leather
Adverb
There’s no better action movie on Earth than George Miller’s hell-for-leather quest for water and redemption. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 14 Aug. 2026 The plot thickens further when Bundle, driving hell-for-leather down a country lane, comes across someone lying in the middle of the road. — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell-for-leather
  1. reckless
  2. quickly
  3. daring
  4. fast
  5. daredevil
  6. rapidly
  7. quick
  8. swiftly
Adjective
  • Pearson faces charges of second-degree death by vessel, operating a vessel under the influence, reckless operation, operating without a safety certificate and failure to keep a proper lookout.
    — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The other two teens were charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of reckless
Adverb
  • As rain falls on the dry, arid slopes in the region, large volumes of water can quickly flow into creeks and waterways.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Just days later, Kelce was photographed traveling with the same dog, and online sleuths quickly connected the pup to an April 2026 video clip of a similar dog jumping into one of Swift’s cars.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of quickly
Adjective
  • Make your voice heard with your most daring predictions, from the best limited series and TV movie to acting, directing, and writing across genres.
    — Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The daring shoes featured a charming detail around the ankle that can help reignite the anklet trend.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of daring
Adverb
  • Scientists found that moving fluoride ions helps a solid electrolyte move lithium faster, reaching record conductivity.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • My mom’s longtime favorite flip-flops have a super impressive discount today, so act fast to snap them up before summer officially comes to a close.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of fast
Adjective
  • News earlier in the month, Johnson and East chatted about life at home with their three little ones, and shared which kid is taking on a daredevil personality.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
  • In addition to decades of performing his own impossible feats for the sake and sanctity of cinema, Cruise has lately taken to showing off his daredevil talents at sporting events worldwide.
    — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 19 July 2026
Definition of daredevil
Adverb
  • Memory is crucial for effective leadership, as the role often demands absorbing information rapidly and recalling the right details at critical moments.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Starship is the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built, and both Super Heavy and Ship are designed to be fully and rapidly reusable.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rapidly
Adverb
  • In 2023, Diamond Crystal introduced baking salt, a fine salt that dissolves quicker, melting into dough and batters.
    — Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Copper became the fastest player in franchise history to score 2,000 points with Phoenix, doing so in 103 games, a game quicker than Diana Taurasi and Cappie Pondexter.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of quick
Adverb
  • Gordon was completed swiftly, earning Newcastle more money than anticipated (with €70m benchmarked).
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Countries, corporations, and organizations of all kinds would swiftly lose internal trust.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of swiftly

Browse Nearby Words

hellfires
hell-for-leather
hellhole
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hell-for-leather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell-for-leather. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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