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Region: General | Usage example: July afternoons in the desert were hotter than Hades.

Hotter than Hades

Meaning

Describes unbearable heat or an intensely heated situation.

Usage

Used for weather, kitchens, or any environment that feels scorchingly extreme.

Origin & History

Origin notes can vary by region and source; this page gives the commonly reported explanation and usage context.

Compares modern heat to the mythological underworld ruled by Hades, often imagined with flames.

Found in 19th-century writing as classical education made Greek references common in everyday speech.

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