apocalypse

noun

apoc·a·lypse | \ ə-ˈpä-kə-ˌlips

plural apocalypses

Definition of apocalypse

1a : one of the Jewish and Christian writings of 200 b.c. to a.d. 150 marked by pseudonymity, symbolic imagery, and the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom

b capitalized : revelation sense 3

2a : something viewed as a prophetic revelation

b : armageddon

3a : a large, disastrous fire : inferno Most foresters agree that small, "prescribed" burns, carefully controlled, are essential to prevent the larger apocalypse.— Lance Morrow

b : a great disaster an environmental apocalypse

Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about apocalypse

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Examples of apocalypse in a Sentence

His book tells of an environmental apocalypse. the fear that the next global pandemic could be an apocalypse of biblical proportions

Recent Examples on the Web

But the apocalypse is also halted with big thanks to Nick, who sacrifices himself when the original trap for the Dark Lord doesn't work. — Gabe Bergado, Teen Vogue, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina," 10 Apr. 2019 Moreover, actress Adina Porter dropped her own little kernel about what the apocalypse means during an interview with Golden Derby. — Stacey Leasca, Glamour, "American Horror Story: Apocalypse: Everything We Know So Far," 4 Aug. 2018 Wouldn’t want to give them a reason to start the robot apocalypse. — Matt Simon, WIRED, "Don't Just Lecture Robots—Make Them Learn," 9 July 2018 Kevin Roose explore why YouTube’s year-end content marketing video triggered an apocalypse of downvotes. — Casey Newton, The Verge, "22 predictions for social media in 2019," 15 Dec. 2018 The apocalypse isn't happening, the economy is turning around. — Fox News, "Mark Levin on media freakout over Trump-Putin summit," 18 July 2018 Yesterday, the Directioner apocalypse officially happened. — Noelle Devoe, Seventeen, "Zayn Malik Defends Himself After Dissing Louis Tomlinson: "People Got It Twisted"," 7 May 2015 The famously terse media site Axios would self-destruct before wasting a single moment of its readers’ busy days by publishing a word more than needed on any news, short of the apocalypse. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "Scandalous EPA Chief Scott Pruitt Finally Resigns," 5 July 2018 From a cursory watch, the movie plays as a classic A.I. apocalypse, rise-of-the-machines flick. — Kevin Dupzyk, Popular Mechanics, "How 'Ex Machina' Foresaw the Weaponization of Data," 16 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'apocalypse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for apocalypse

Middle English Apocalipse "Revelation (the New Testament book)," borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin apocalypsis "revelation, the Book of Revelation," borrowed from Greek apokálypsis "uncovering, disclosure, revelation," from apokalyp-, stem of apokalýptein "to uncover, disclose, reveal" (from apo- apo- + kalýptein "to cover, protect, conceal," of uncertain origin) + -sis -sis

Note: Greek kalýptein is associated in older handbooks with Indo-European *ḱel- "conceal" (see conceal), though neither the vocalism nor the supposed extension *-up- are easily explicable.

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