apocalyptic
Americanadjective
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of or like an apocalypse; affording a revelation or prophecy.
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pertaining to the Apocalypse or biblical book of Revelation.
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predicting or presaging imminent disaster and total or universal destruction.
the apocalyptic vision of some contemporary writers.
adjective
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outstanding in revelation, prophecy, or significance
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of or like an apocalypse
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apocalyptic
1620–30; < Late Greek apokalýptikos, equivalent to apokalýpt ( ein ) to uncover, disclose ( see apocalypse) + -ikos -ic
Explanation
The lyrics of a popular song from the 1980’s by the band REM go, “It’s the end of the world as we know it.” This song’s tune may be catchy but the sentiment is rather apocalyptic — since it refers to the final destruction of the world. The base word of apocalyptic, apocalypse, means "ultimate doom." This scenario is most famously described in the Bible’s Book of Revelation, but the concept is used in reference to many extreme catastrophes. For example, the devastating conditions left behind after a hurricane or tornado has hit an area can be said to be apocalyptic. Often, this adjective is used for exaggeration, so you could also use apocalyptic to describe the bad haircut you just got.
Vocabulary lists containing apocalyptic
This Week in Words: December 2 - 8, 2017
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This Week in Words: September 10 - 16, 2017
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The amount of pollution that we produce is apocalyptic during this one particular day," Glory Dolphin Hammes, CEO of IQAir's North American division, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Perhaps we really do live in a “demented slaughterhouse of a world,” as the unhinged newsman Howard Beale says in one of his apocalyptic broadcasts, and have all along.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
The scene around more than 100 flattened buildings is apocalyptic.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
Jackson’s lottery stoning takes place on a sunny June day, in contrast to the apocalyptic storm’s nighttime arrival on “Widow’s Bay,” forcing everyone into an underground shelter.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
Indeed, the only adult males in the whole of Berlin’s population exempt from defensive duties during its apocalyptic fall to the Red Army in April-May 1945 were the members of the Berlin Philharmonic.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
