the hell you say
1
9.9
- idiom
- Informal
- When he admitted he had never seen snow before, I replied, "The hell you say!"
Examples
-
Wait, the hell you say? Are you serious?
-
The hell you say! I can't believe she actually quit her job.
-
"They finished the marathon in under three hours." – The hell you say!
-
What? The hell you say!
-
The hell you say! I can't believe she actually quit her job.
-
"They finished the marathon in under three hours." – The hell you say!
-
When he admitted he had never seen snow before, I replied, "The hell you say!"
Synonyms
∞
8.9
An angry or surprised question showing you do not believe something
∞
9.2
Shows strong anger, annoyance, or surprise in rude informal speech
448
7.5
A small amount of care or worry about something
265
7.0
To show surprise, shock or disbelief in a mild, polite way
182
7.4
Shows surprise or mild doubt about what someone just said
169
9.9
A strong phrase people say when they are very surprised or shocked
147
8.9
A short cry to show surprise, confusion, disbelief, or casual acceptance
112
9.9
A short phrase people say to show surprise or confusion
80
2.6
Words people say when they are surprised to see something
79
9.8
A short phrase showing surprise and not believing what someone said
63
9.9
A word people say to show mild surprise
54
9.9
To ask someone to repeat what they said because you do not believe it
47
9.9
Adds strong anger or surprise to what you say
35
9.6
To say when you are very surprised or shocked
34
8.8
A short cry people use to show surprise or amazement
29
7.6
A short phrase people say to show surprise or disbelief
29
9.4
A short informal cry showing surprise or strong feeling
25
9.5
A phrase said to show surprise, confusion, or annoyance
24
9.8
Said to show that you do not believe or accept something
23
9.9
A strong rude shout people use when they feel very angry or shocked
11
7.5
A short phrase people say to show surprise or shock
10
9.9
A phrase people say to show strong surprise or that they do not believe what someone just said
10
9.5
A short word people say when they are surprised or shocked
7
9.9
A short informal word people say when they feel surprise, shock, or annoyance
5
9.9
A short informal way people use to show surprise, confusion, or disbelief
4
9.9
A way to say you are surprised or do not believe something
2
9.9
An old-fashioned word people say to show disbelief or annoyance
2
7.7
Said when you doubt what someone says, often ironically
2
9.9
An informal word people say to show surprise, annoyance, or that they do not believe something
1
8.4
A short sound people make when they suddenly understand something
1
9.9
A short phrase people use to show surprise or disbelief without a bad word
1
9.9
A short shout that shows surprise or shock
1
9.9
A short phrase people say when they feel surprised or do not believe something
1
9.9
A short sound to show disbelief or dislike
1
9.9
A loud informal shout that shows surprise, shock, or strong annoyance
1
9.9
An informal phrase people say to show surprise or disbelief
1
9.9
A short angry or surprised shout used instead of a rude word
To say or write a short exclamation to show surprise
A short shout to show surprise or amazement
A word people say to show strong surprise
A short shout showing surprise, alarm, or disbelief
Antonyms
How Surprised
- Informal
1
9.9
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase uses 'hell' as an expletive/intensifier and the string 'the hell you say' does not compose into the literal sense of its parts; the meaning 'expressing disbelief/astonishment' is pragmatic and idiomatic rather than a straightforward combination of 'hell' + 'you' + 'say'. A B1 learner who knows the individual words would be unlikely to infer this discourse‑level exclamation without prior exposure, so it is opaque.
Etymology
The hell you say may come from older sayings like 'you don't say' and uses the strong word the hell to show shock while you say points at the person who spoke. So people say it when they feel disbelief or surprise at what someone has just said.