apocalyptic

adjective

apoc·a·lyp·tic | \ə-ˌpä-kə-ˈlip-tik

\

variants: or less commonly apocalyptical \-ti-kəl

\

Definition of apocalyptic

1 : of, relating to, or resembling an apocalypse apocalyptic events

2 : forecasting the ultimate destiny of the world : prophetic apocalyptic warnings

3 : foreboding imminent disaster or final doom : terrible apocalyptic signs of the coming end-times

4 : wildly unrestrained : grandiose

5 : ultimately decisive : climactic an apocalyptic battle

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Examples of apocalyptic in a Sentence

No one listened to her apocalyptic predictions. a less apocalyptic view of the future the apocalyptic destruction of the world

Recent Examples on the Web

These numbers may sound apocalyptic, but a gruesome 2015 video seemed to change the tide by drawing attention to the problem. — Sarah Bowman, Indianapolis Star, "Aardvark paper straws: This Fort Wayne company has your plastic straw alternative," 24 June 2018 The language gets downright apocalyptic and this time is no different. — Fox News, "Sekulow: Kavanaugh will be a brilliant Supreme Court justice," 10 July 2018 Except for music, and the sound of a few advertisements still running on loop on the post-apocalyptic Earth where Wall-E is initially set, a significant portion of the film is silent. — Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Wall-E' References That Need to Be Revisited," 27 June 2018 Test your survival skills this summer at Dystopia Rising Washington, which hosts fully-immersive live-action role playing weekend events set in a post-apocalyptic world complete with enemies - both alive and undead. — Susan B. Barnes, USA TODAY, "Leave the kids behind: Summer camp for adults," 6 July 2018 And while President Trump weighs his Supreme Court options, America's left is already acting apocalyptic. — Fox News, "Kellyanne Conway responds to Democrats' calls to abolish ICE," 3 July 2018 The film hits all the necessary beats for a straightforward horror film in an eerie post-apocalyptic setting. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "A Quiet Place blends horror and drama in a silent world," 5 Apr. 2018 Covered in gnarly graffiti, the park was then an apocalyptic collection of crumbling concrete, green water, and overgrown weeds. — Craig Hlavaty, Houston Chronicle, "Sea-Arama in Galveston was an island attraction for decades," 11 July 2018 Asahara, who married in the late 1970s and had six children, turned to studying Buddhism and Hindu theology before preaching both doctrines mixed with his own apocalyptic ideas. — Author: Stuart Biggs, Gearoid Reidy, Anchorage Daily News, "Japan executes cult leader and 6 others for deadly 1995 sarin attack," 6 July 2018

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

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Dictionary Entries near apocalyptic

Statistics for apocalyptic

Last Updated

19 Oct 2018

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Time Traveler for apocalyptic

The first known use of apocalyptic was in 1633

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More Definitions for apocalyptic

apocalyptic

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of apocalyptic

: of, relating to, or involving terrible violence and destruction

: of or relating to the end of the world

See the full definition for apocalyptic in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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