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Meaning & use

demon

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈdiːmən/
US/ˈdiːmən/

Meanings

  1. nouncountablereligion

    An evil spirit, especially in religion or folklore, said to cause harm or to possess people.

    Grammar: Takes an article or plural: a demon, demons.

    Patterns

    • a demon possesses someone
    • cast out a demon

    In the old story, a demon lived in the well.

    The priest was called to cast out the demon.

    The film is about a family haunted by a demon.

  2. nounusually pluralfigurative

    A personal problem or fear that keeps troubling a person, such as an addiction or painful memory.

    Grammar: Usually plural and used with a possessive: his demons.

    Patterns

    • fight your demons
    • battle with demons

    The singer spoke openly about fighting his demons.

    She finally faced the demons of her childhood.

    He kept busy to quiet his inner demons.

  3. nouncountableinformal

    A person who is extremely energetic, fast or skilled at something.

    Grammar: Used before a noun or in a phrase: a demon at chess, a speed demon.

    Patterns

    • a demon at something
    • speed demon

    She is a demon at crossword puzzles.

    My brother drives like a speed demon on empty roads.

    He turned into a demon on the track in the last lap.

Word forms

pluraldemons

Common combinations

inner demons
He struggled with his inner demons for years.
fight your demons
Therapy helped her fight her demons.
speed demon
The cyclist was a real speed demon on downhill roads.
evil demon
The tale features an evil demon who grants cruel wishes.
drive out demons
The ritual was meant to drive out demons.
demon drink
He swore off the demon drink after the party.

Synonyms and how they differ

devil
Devil can name the single chief evil spirit, whereas demon refers to one of many evil spirits.
fiend
Fiend can be a spirit or a cruel person, and it is also used for someone obsessed with something, as in a fiend for chocolate.
evil spirit
Evil spirit is a plain description that does not suggest the ranked beings in religious stories.
torment
Torment is used for the pain a troubling memory causes, while demon names the troubling thing itself.

Opposites

angelsaint

Word family

demonic adjective
relating to or like a demon
demonize verb
to portray someone as evil
demonology noun
the study of demons
demoniac adjective
possessed by or like a demon

Commonly confused: demon or daemon?

demon vs daemon

Daemon is a spelling for a spirit in Greek thought or a background computer process. In ordinary English, demon is the common word.

Practice

The author wrote openly about her struggle with her personal ____ after years of anxiety.

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