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postapocalyptic

American  
[pohst-uh-pahk-uh-lipt-ik] / ˌpoʊst əˌpɑk əˈlɪpt ɪk /

adjective

  1. relating to or set in the period following an apocalypse, such as an imagined nuclear war or the collapse of global civilization.


Other Word Forms

  • post-post-apocalyptic adjective
  • postapocalyptically adverb

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.

People unnecessarily sold low to preserve wealth that would have been useless in a postapocalyptic hellscape.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

In Malibu: In “Planet of the Apes,” Charlton Heston’s character, George Taylor, discovers the Statue of Liberty half-buried in the sand—and realizes that what he thought was an alien planet is a postapocalyptic Earth.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

In the sequel panel, the tables have turned: The same guy is chained in a postapocalyptic hellscape while the woman lounges happily with her robot overlord, smugly nibbling chocolates.

From Slate • Aug. 31, 2025

We asked the creatives behind several series — totalitarian, postapocalyptic or both — to explain how they bring the term to life.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

“Paintball is a game. Dungeons and Dragons is a game. Survival Night is REAL. For twenty-four hours, you will be living in a postapocalyptic world.”

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