Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Americannoun
Usage
What are the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse? The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or Four Horsemen for short, originate as a Biblical personification of the end of the world. The Four Horsemen have become symbols of things that bring about some catastrophe, often used in a rhetorical or humorous way. How is Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse pronounced?[ fawr hawrs-muhn uhv thuh uh-pok-uh-lips ]
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 Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are war, plague, famine—and trade barriers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 29, 2025
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse — Conquest, War, Famine and Death — gallop into the 21st century.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2022
Kyle Kogut’s ink-and-pencil renderings have updated the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse so they look like chrome automobile insignia.
From Washington Post • Dec. 22, 2021
“It’s like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have been let loose,” Zimmerman said.
From The New Yorker • Nov. 4, 2019
When the final accounting of the great success of "The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" in this country is taken, honorable mention must be made of the man at the E.P.
From Love Conquers All by Williams, Gluyas
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.
