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  apocalypse
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  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

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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

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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

See Examples For:

apocalypse Apocalypse apocalypses

The latest AI agents have proven smart in a way akin to the paper-clip apocalypse.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

The software apocalypse never came and the sector is enjoying a stellar recovery.

From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2026

One theory describes an almost complete apocalypse, with human populations abruptly disappearing from areas closest to the eruption.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

There are four horsemen of the financial apocalypse: income, spending, debt and savings.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

Only birds would survive this sort of apocalypse.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Apocalypse, which starts on Sunday, sees two groups of strangers attempt to survive in a site usually used to train military, with whatever they can find while competing for limited resources.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 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

Despite those serious intentions, Angelenos have been poking fun at the “Great Green Bin Apocalypse of 2025,” as journalist and podcaster Alissa Walker framed the situation on Bluesky.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 16, 2025

“Let’s just say what happens at Camp Apocalypse stays at Camp Apocalypse,” I said.

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

Yes, the details of the apocalypses I’ve researched throughout history can be tragic, and sometimes horrifying.

From Slate ● May 14, 2025

So I decided that I needed to give this class to my students, because they needed to know that apocalypses have been around for thousands of years, and nothing ever happens.

From Salon ● May 22, 2024

The game has no guns, no Marios, no apocalypses.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 13, 2023

Burns and his co-showrunner, Dorothy Fortenberry, argue that film and TV have their own version of the same problem: Climate apocalypses create immediate drama and character-level tension.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 17, 2023

Thus, the second half of the first century after the death of Jesus witnessed the birth of a large Christian literature, consisting of epistles, gospels, and apocalypses.

From The Origin and Permanent Value of the Old Testament by Charles Foster Kent

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Related Words

• annihilation
• cataclysm
• catastrophe
• devastation

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