Heaven vs. Hell — What's the Difference?

A divine realm of peace and eternal life.

In religion and folklore, hell is an afterlife location in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, often torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as eternal destinations, the biggest examples of which are Christianity and Islam, whereas religions with reincarnation usually depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations, as is the case in the dharmic religions.

An idyllic state or place of happiness.

A place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often traditionally depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death

Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as gods, angels, spirits, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the beliefs of some religions, heavenly beings can descend to Earth or incarnate and earthly beings can ascend to Heaven in the afterlife or, in exceptional cases, enter Heaven alive.

Used for emphasis or to express anger, contempt, or surprise

Often heavens The sky or universe as seen from the earth; the firmament.

Often Hell The place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death, often imagined as being presided over by Satan and his devils.

Often Heaven The abode of God, the angels, and the souls of those who are granted salvation.

A state of separation from God; exclusion from God's presence.

An eternal state of communion with God; everlasting bliss.

The abode of the dead in any of various religious traditions, such as the Hebrew Sheol or the Greek Hades; the underworld.

Any of the places in or beyond the sky conceived of as domains of divine beings in various religions.

A situation or place of evil, misery, discord, or destruction

Heaven God

An extremely difficult experience; torment or anguish

Heavens Used in various phrases to express surprise

The spirits in hell or the powers of evil

Often heavens The celestial powers; the gods

(Informal) One that causes trouble, agony, or annoyance

A condition or place of great happiness, delight, or pleasure

A sharp scolding

The sky, specifically:

A tailor's receptacle for discarded material.

The distant sky in which the sun, moon, and stars appear or move; the firmament; the celestial spheres.

(Printing) A hellbox.

(obsolete) The near sky in which weather, flying animals, etc. appear; (obsolete) the atmosphere; the climate.

An outstanding or noteworthy example

(obsolete) A model displaying the movement of the celestial bodies, an orrery.

Used as an intensive

(religion) The abode of God or the gods, traditionally conceived as beyond the sky; especially:

Used for intensive effect in idioms such as beat the hell out of (someone) for beat (someone) very badly.

The abode of God and of the angels and saints in His presence.

(Archaic) A gambling house.

The abode of the Abrahamic God; similar abodes of the gods in other religions and traditions, such as Mount Olympus.

To behave riotously; carouse

Providence, the will of God or the council of the gods; fate.

Used to express anger, disgust, or impatience.

(religion) The afterlife of the blessed dead, traditionally conceived as opposed to an afterlife of the wicked and unjust (compare hell); specifically:

A place of torment where some or all sinners and evil spirits are believed to go after death.

Paradise, the afterlife of the souls who are not sent to a place of punishment or purification such as hell, purgatory, or limbo; the state or condition of being in the presence of God after death.

A place or situation of great suffering in life.

The afterlife of the blessed dead in other religions and traditions, such as the Pure Land or Elysium.

(countable) A place for gambling.

(by extension) Any paradise; any blissful place or experience.

(figuratively) An extremely hot place.

(by extension) A state of bliss; a peaceful ecstasy.

Used as an intensifier in phrases grammatically requiring a noun.

Similarly blissful afterlives, places, or states for particular people, animals, or objects.

(obsolete) A place into which a tailor throws shreds, or a printer discards broken type.

(obsolete) To transport to the abode of God, the gods, or the blessed.

Something extremely painful or harmful (to)

(obsolete) To beatify, enchant, or please greatly.

Used to express discontent, unhappiness, or anger.

(obsolete) To beautify, to make into a paradise.

Used to emphasize.

The expanse of space surrounding the earth; esp., that which seems to be over the earth like a great arch or dome; the firmament; the sky; the place where the sun, moon, and stars appear; - often used in the plural in this sense.

Used to introduce an intensified statement following an understated one; nay; not only that, but.

The dwelling place of the Deity; the abode of bliss; the place or state of the blessed after death.

(postpositional) nodot=a or like hell.

The sovereign of heaven; God; also, the assembly of the blessed, collectively; - used variously in this sense, as in No. 2.; as, heaven helps those who help themselves.

; used to emphasize strongly.

Any place of supreme happiness or great comfort; perfect felicity; bliss; a sublime or exalted condition; as, a heaven of delight.

To add luster to; to burnish (silver or gold).

To place in happiness or bliss, as if in heaven; to beatify.

(rare) To pour.

Any place of complete bliss and delight and peace

The place of the dead, or of souls after death; the grave; - called in Hebrew sheol, and by the Greeks hades.

The abode of God and the angels

The place or state of punishment for the wicked after death; the abode of evil spirits. Hence, any mental torment; anguish.

A place of ultimate spiritual reward.

A place where outcast persons or things are gathered

The dwelling place of God or deities.

To overwhelm.

The sky or universe as seen from Earth.

Any place of pain and turmoil;

A cause of difficulty and suffering;

(Christianity) the abode of Satan and the forces of evil; where sinners suffer eternal punishment;

(religion) the world of the dead;

Violent and excited activity;

Noisy and unrestrained mischief;

A place of torment and eternal suffering.

An infernal realm of punishment.

A situation or place of chaos or misery.

The dwelling place of evil spirits or the devil.

A strong expression of annoyance or surprise.

Hell is usually depicted as a place of torment, punishment, and eternal suffering.

Heaven often symbolizes a place of reward, peace, and eternal life.

While many religions have concepts of Heaven and Hell, their characteristics and interpretations vary.

Yes, they can describe situations or places of extreme happiness or misery, respectively.

In many religions, Hell serves as a warning or consequence for unrighteous behavior.

Some religions believe in purgatory or similar concepts, which are neither Heaven nor Hell.

Traditionally, yes. Heaven is often "above" in the skies, while Hell is "below" or underground.

Traditionally, Heaven is associated with positive outcomes and Hell with negative ones.

Some beliefs hold that repentance and atonement can change one's afterlife destination.

Some religious texts describe various levels or degrees of reward or punishment in both realms.

In many beliefs, souls are assigned to Heaven or Hell for eternity, though some religions have concepts of reincarnation or eventual redemption.

While typically associated with the afterlife, some religious narratives tell of living people visiting these realms.

In many religious beliefs, they are spiritual realms, not physical locations.

Yes, many people have personal beliefs in Heaven and Hell, independent of religious doctrines.

In many beliefs, God or deities oversee Heaven, while Satan or evil entities rule Hell.