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

• climacteric
• climactic

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

Adding to the confusion, their on-site contact Marita (Abuela Marita) has disappeared, possibly in connection with her apocalyptic Christian temple. —Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025

The Last of Us tells the story of two survivors (Ramsey and Pedro Pascal) many years after the onset of an apocalyptic plague. —James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 Apr. 2025

For a movie about an apocalyptic clash of vampires and gangsters, Sinners has moments of unexpected jubilance, even rapture. —A.a. Dowd, Rolling Stone, 17 Apr. 2025

Power asserts itself mercilessly, and the action is shot through with apocalyptic premonitions, which reminds him of our time. —Jeffrey Arlo Brown, New York Times, 12 Apr. 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

1633, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for apocalyptic

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