apocalyptic

adjective

apoc·​a·​lyp·​tic ə-ˌpä-kə-ˈlip-tik 

variants or less commonly apocalyptical

ə-ˌpä-kə-ˈlip-ti-kəl 

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

apocalyptically

ə-ˌpä-kə-ˈlip-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of apocalyptic

• climactic
• critical
• highest
• pivotal
• decisive
• climacteric
• high
• watershed

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

There is a reason why the apocalyptic bromides about the state of print haven’t come to fruition, other than for disposable periodicals and newspapers. —Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025

What City Trail does expertly is give the player a small amount of control over their build, crafting random apocalyptic events to rain down on Skyah that could either tank their machine or grant the player a chance to snag a Legendary Machine. —Ryan Gaur, Rolling Stone, 19 Nov. 2025

Tell me about the post-apocalyptic vision of the album. —Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 18 Nov. 2025

Consuming alcohol is a justifiable response to the Joining, its role in Helen’s death and the post-apocalyptic world it’s created, but over-reliance on it is nothing new for Carol. —Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin apocalypticus, derivative of apocalypsis apocalypse, by analogy with pairs such as ellīpsis ellipsis : ellīpticus elliptic

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for apocalyptic

• cryptic
• diptych
• styptic
• triptych
• tryptic
• ecliptic
• elliptic