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• apocalypse
  apocalypse

  noun
• Apocalypse
  Apocalypse

  noun

  Bible (in the Vulgate and Douay versions of the Bible) the Book of Revelation

apocalypse

American  

[uh-pok-uh-lips] / əˈpɒk ə lɪps /

noun

apocalypses plural

1. 1. a prophecy or revelation, especially regarding a final cataclysmic battle between good and evil.

   2. the apocalypse, in some belief systems, a final cataclysmic battle of this kind, in which evil is defeated and the present age brought to a close.

      According to traditional evangelical teaching, the apocalypse will begin with a time of persecution.

   3. the apocalypse, the end of civilization; the complete destruction or collapse of the world as we know it (sometimes used facetiously).

      On both ends of the political spectrum, visions of the apocalypse and predictions of doom abound.

      We thought this recession might be the apocalypse, and sales would go down to 1 percent.

2. any universal or widespread destruction or disaster.

   If humanity is to avoid a nuclear apocalypse, a whole new level of international cooperation is urgently required.

3. Apocalypse. Revelation.

4. any piece of literature belonging to a genre of Jewish or Christian writings that appeared from about 200 b.c. to the late Middle Ages and were assumed to reveal God’s ultimate purpose.

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apocalypse ¹ British  

/ əˈpɒkəlɪps /

noun

1. a prophetic disclosure or revelation

2. an event of great importance, violence, etc, like the events described in the Apocalypse

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Apocalypse ² British  

/ əˈpɒkəlɪps /

noun

1. Bible (in the Vulgate and Douay versions of the Bible) the Book of Revelation

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Apocalypse Cultural  

1. Another name for the New Testament Book of Revelation; from the Greek word for “revelation.”

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Discover More

An “apocalypse” is a final catastrophe.

The Apocalypse is supposed to come at the end of the world or of time.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• apocalypses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of apocalypse

First recorded in 1125–75; Middle English, from Late Latin apocalypsis, from Greek apokálypsis “revelation,” from apokalýp(tein) “to uncover, reveal” (from apo- apo- + kalýptein “to cover, conceal”; cf. eucalyptus) + -sis -sis

Explanation

Apocalypse is a word that means "the end of the world" — or something so destructive it seems like the world has ended, like the event of a major earthquake. The apocalypse is the total destruction of the world, as prophesied in the Biblical book of Revelation. Apocalypse can be used to describe utter destruction caused by war or natural disaster. The nuclear bomb attack on Hiroshima during World War II can be called an apocalypse because the devastation was so severe and so many lives were lost.

Example Sentences

This is either the future or the Apocalypse has arrived.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

Her acting breakthrough came on the TV show The Newsroom, before starring roles in movies such as X-Men: Apocalypse and The Predator.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The menu feels comfortingly familiar—smoked brisket, wings, pulled pork, sausage, and all the sides you’d expect—but it’s the sauces that really deliver the flavors Apocalypse is celebrating.

From Salon • Feb. 2, 2026

I’m in development hell, but if Coppola could fight for a decade to make Apocalypse Now, I can stand by Endier Game for another half-hour.

From Barron's • Dec. 12, 2025

In the two weeks since Camp Apocalypse had ended, I’d spent a lot of time hanging out with them.

From "Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat" by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth

Related Words

• annihilation
• cataclysm
• catastrophe
• devastation