when Hell freezes over

adverb

Never; not in this lifetime or a time in the unforeseeably distant future; not a chance.

“"Will you go out with him?" "When Hell freezes over!"”

Similar
at latter Lammasat no timein the reign of Queen Dickne'ernevernever evernot while pussy's a caton the second Tuesday of the week
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Meanings

adverbwhen Hell freezes over (not comparable)
  1. excessiveidiomaticinformalnot comparableslangNever; not in this lifetime or a time in the unforeseeably distant future; not a chance.

    "Will you go out with him?" "When Hell freezes over!"

    1 more example

    "When will the sun shine in Dunedin?" "When Hell freezes over!"

    Synonyms: at latter Lammas, at no time, in the reign of Queen Dick, ne'er, never, never ever, not while pussy's a cat, on the second Tuesday of the week

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbNever; not in this lifetime or a time in the unforeseeably distant future; not a chance.

Similar
at latter Lammasat no timein the reign of Queen Dickne'ernevernever evernot while pussy's a caton the second Tuesday of the weeksine diewhen pigs flywhen two Sundays come togetherwhen two Sundays meet
Also see
a cold day in julyneverno way josewhen pigs fly

Translations

Basque haizerik ez den urtean
  • haizerik ez den urteannever
Catalan a les calendes gregues, la setmana dels tres dijous
  • a les calendes greguesnever
  • la setmana dels tres dijousnever
  • quan les gallines pixinnever
Czech až peklo zamrzne
  • až peklo zamrznenever
Dutch wanneer Pasen en Pinksteren op een dag vallen, met sint-juttemis
  • wanneer Pasen en Pinksteren op een dag vallennever
  • met sint-juttemisnever
  • als Pasen en Pinksteren op een dag vallennever
Finnish kun helvetti jäätyy
  • kun helvetti jäätyynever
French quand les poules auront des dents
  • quand les poules auront des dentsnever
German wenn die Hölle zufriert, alle Jubeljahre
  • wenn die Hölle zufriertnever
  • alle Jubeljahrenever
  • wenn Ostern und Pfingsten auf einen Tag fallennever
  • an Sankt Nimmerleinnever
Italian alle calende greche, quando gli asini voleranno
  • alle calende grechenever
  • quando gli asini volerannonever
  • mainever
Norwegian når helvetet fryser
  • når helvetet frysernever
Polish prędzej piekło zamarznie
  • prędzej piekło zamarznienever
Portuguese quando o inferno congelar, no dia de São Nunca
  • quando o inferno congelarnever
  • no dia de São Nuncanever
  • quando as galinhas criarem dentesnever
  • quando as galinhas tiverem dentesnever
Russian когда́ рак на горе́ сви́стнет, по́сле до́ждичка в четве́рг
  • когда́ рак на горе́ сви́стнет (kogdá rak na goré svístnet)never
  • по́сле до́ждичка в четве́рг (pósle dóždička v četvérg)never
Spanish el día que las vacas vuelen
  • el día que las vacas vuelennever
Swedish när helvetet fryser till is
  • när helvetet fryser till isnever
Tagalog kapag nagyelo ang impiyerno
  • kapag nagyelo ang impiyernonever
Welsh pan fydd uffern yn rhewi drosodd
  • pan fydd uffern yn rhewi drosoddnever
Cite this entry
APA

when Hell freezes over. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20Hell%20freezes%20over

MLA

“when Hell freezes over.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20Hell%20freezes%20over. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “when Hell freezes over,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/when%20Hell%20freezes%20over.

Source: when Hell freezes over on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.