Here's a try:Hell, according to many religious beliefs, is a place and/or a state of painful suffering. The English word 'hell' comes from the Teutonic 'Hel', which originally meant "to cover." "Hell" later referred to the goddess of the Norse underworld, Hel. Compare Anglo-Saxon helan, Greek kalyptein and Latin celare = "to hide, to cover" (all from IE *kel).

According to many religions, the afterlife affords evildoers the opportunity to suffer eternally or repent their bad deeds before reincarnation or redemption. In monotheistic religions, hell is often ruled by demons who torment the damned. Hell is also defined as an utter absence of God or redemptive force. Many monotheists believe in different layers of hell, and that some sinners are sent to purgatory, or otherwise sent to suffer in hell until they repent and seek atonement. Some believe that all those sent to hell can accept redemption if they repent and seek atonement. However, the belief exists that there will be those who never truly repent in spirit. According to this belief, these souls will reject redemption and curse God for all eternity, despite the ravages of Hell.

In polytheistic religions, the politics of hell can be as complicated as human politics. Many Hellenistic Neopagans believe in Tartarus, which may also be considered a version of Hell.

Well I am not sure how to define hell because how I feel about hell is probably different than everyone else. I think are hell is the time we do on earth (if we so choose to make it our hell). I really haven't read too many books in regards too people describing near death experiences and the images of hell arises when they have one...it is usually a white light ... tunnel and just something of amazing beauty and love.  So it is hard for me to believe at some point we are judged by others and we either go to heaven or hell.  The reason I believe this is because of the universal law of polarity...if you have peace, love and light...you also have hatred and darkness...all those people who are in jail or committed some brutal crime...do you think they have light or love within themselves. At that moment they chose to committ that crime...they have chosen the dark path of guilt, ridicule, darkness and emptiness and to me that is hell, not to be able to experience those emotions of love and light.

Sophe

According to:Popular culture

Hell is often depicted as a place underground, with fire and molten rock where the devil lives. The devil is popularly depicted as a being or creature who carries a pitchfork (which in turn is actually a trident), has flaming red skin, horns on his head, and a long thin tail with a triangle shaped barb on it. This description of the Devil is popular, to the point of being a cliché and nearly comical to most, but is not supported by scripture.

I never expected to find myself agreeing with a pope, but I think John Paul II was right on the money when he said that Hell does not exist as a place, but is a state of mind we place ourselves into when we willfully cut ourselves off from God.

hell is whatever you think it is.