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View synonyms for world

world

[ wurld ]

noun

  1. the earth or globe, considered as a planet.
  2. (often initial capital letter) a particular division of the earth:

    the Western world.

  3. the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period:

    the ancient world.

  4. humankind; the human race; humanity:

    The world must eliminate war and poverty.

  5. the public generally:

    The whole world knows it.

  6. the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life:

    The world worships success.

  7. a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.:

    the fashionable world.

  8. any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it:

    a child's world; the world of dreams; the insect world.

  9. everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.
  10. any complex whole conceived as resembling the universe:

    the world of the microcosm.

  11. one of the three general groupings of physical nature:

    animal world; mineral world; vegetable world.

  12. any period, state, or sphere of existence:

    this world; the world to come.

  13. Often worlds. a great deal:

    That vacation was worlds of fun.

  14. any indefinitely great expanse.
  15. any heavenly body:

    the starry worlds.



world

1

/ wɜːld /

noun

  1. the earth as a planet, esp including its inhabitants
  2. mankind; the human race
  3. people generally; the public

    in the eyes of the world

  4. social or public life

    to go out into the world

  5. the universe or cosmos; everything in existence
  6. a complex united whole regarded as resembling the universe
  7. any star or planet, esp one that might be inhabited
  8. often capital a division or section of the earth, its history, or its inhabitants

    the Third World

    the Western World

    the Ancient World

  9. an area, sphere, or realm considered as a complete environment

    the animal world

  10. any field of human activity or way of life or those involved in it

    the world of television

  11. a period or state of existence

    the next world

  12. the total circumstances and experience of an individual that make up his life, esp that part of it relating to happiness

    you have shattered my world

  13. a large amount, number, or distance

    worlds apart

  14. worldly or secular life, ways, or people
  15. logic See possible world
  16. all the world and his wife
    a large group of people of various kinds
  17. bring into the world
    1. (of a midwife, doctor, etc) to deliver (a baby)
    2. to give birth to
  18. come into the world
    to be born
  19. dead to the world informal.
    unaware of one's surroundings, esp fast asleep or very drunk
  20. for the world
    used with a negative for any inducement, however great
  21. for all the world
    in every way; exactly
  22. give to the world
    to publish
  23. in the world
    usually used with a negative (intensifier)

    no-one in the world can change things

  24. man of the world or woman of the world
    a man or woman experienced in social or public life
  25. not long for this world
    nearing death
  26. on top of the world informal.
    exultant, elated, or very happy
  27. informal.
    wonderful; excellent
  28. set the world on fire
    to be exceptionally or sensationally successful
  29. the best of both worlds
    the benefits from two different or opposed ways of life, philosophies, etc
  30. think the world of
    to be extremely fond of or hold in very high esteem
  31. world of one's own
    a state of mental detachment from other people
  32. world without end
    for ever
  33. modifier of or concerning most or all countries; worldwide

    world politics

    a world record

  34. in combination throughout the world

    world-famous

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


World

2

noun

  1. a man-made archipelago of 300 reclaimed islands built off the coast of Dubai in the shape of a map of the world. Area: 63 sq km (24 sq miles)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Words From

  • counter·world noun
  • inter·world noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of world1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English world, weorold; cognate with Dutch wereld, German Welt, Old Norse verǫld, all from (unnattested) Germanic wer-ald- literally, “age of man” ( virile ( def ), werewolf ( def ), old ( def )
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Word History and Origins

Origin of world1

Old English w ( e ) orold, from wer man + ald age, life; related to Old Frisian warld, wrald, Old Norse verold, Old High German wealt (German Welt )
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. bring into the world,
    1. to give birth to; bear:

      My grandmother brought nine children into the world.

    2. to deliver (a baby):

      the doctor brought many children into the world.

  2. come into the world, to be born:

    Her first child came into the world in June.

  3. for all the world,
    1. for any consideration, however great:

      She wouldn't come to visit us for all the world.

    2. in every respect; precisely:

      You look for all the world like my Aunt Mary.

  4. in the world,
    1. at all; ever:

      I never in the world would have believed such an obvious lie.

    2. from among all possibilities:

      Where in the world did you find that hat?

  5. out of this / the world, exceptional; fine:

    The chef prepared a roast duck that was out of this world.

  6. set the world on fire, to achieve great fame and success:

    He didn't seem to be the type to set the world on fire.

  7. think the world of, to like or admire greatly:

    His coworkers think the world of him.

  8. world without end, for all eternity; for always.
  9. on top of the world. top 1( def 48 ).

More idioms and phrases containing world

  • all over the place (world)
  • best of both worlds
  • bring into the world
  • come up (in the world)
  • dead to the world
  • for all the world
  • go out (of the world)
  • in one's own world
  • it's a small world
  • laugh and the world laughs with you
  • man of the world
  • move up (in the world)
  • not for all the tea in china (for the world)
  • on earth (in the world), what
  • on top of the world
  • out of this world
  • set the world on fire
  • think a lot (the world) of
  • third world
  • with the best will in the world
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Synonym Study

See earth.
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Example Sentences

With fires burning in so many disparate corners of the world, one might assume that wildfires have been growing every year.

From Vox

Democratic-run New Jersey and New York, with death rates of 181 and 168, respectively, would lead the entire world.

From Vox

This makes TikTok the seventh most popular social media platform in the world.

Coastal wetlands have been shrinking around the world for the last century.

It housed humans for 40,000 years while our species grew and grew around the world.

The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.

Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.

Allegations of transphobia are not new in the world of gay online dating.

People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.

Editorial and political cartoon pages from throughout the world almost unanimously came to the same conclusion.

Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.

All over the world the just claims of organized labor are intermingled with the underground conspiracy of social revolution.

There seems something in that also which I could spare only very reluctantly from a new Bible in the world.

That it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?

The "new world" was really found in the wonder-years of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

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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.

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