How do you say “Like a bat out of hell” in Spanish?
The closest natural Spanish equivalent is como alma que lleva el diablo, which literally means “like a soul carried off by the devil”. English speakers use like a bat out of hell to mean extremely fast, often in a wild or hurried way. A vivid match for someone rushing away at great speed. Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural Spanish
como alma que lleva el diablo
/ˈkomo ˈalma ke ˈʝeβa el ˈðjaβlo/
- Literal meaning
- “like a soul carried off by the devil”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
94 out of 100
What a native Spanish speaker would actually say
Spanish also uses a dramatic image of escape and the devil. The expression suits running, fleeing or leaving in a great hurry.
For a simple description of a vehicle's speed, “a toda velocidad” is more direct. It drops the drama without changing how fast it was moving.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity3 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in Spanish?
a toda velocidad
Literally: “at full speed”
A plain description, especially useful for vehicles.
In context
English
When the bell rang, he ran outside like a bat out of hell.
Spanish
Cuando sonó el timbre, salió corriendo como alma que lleva el diablo.
English
She left the meeting like a bat out of hell.
Spanish
Salió de la reunión como alma que lleva el diablo.
Related expressions
Last updated 2026-09-19