APOCALYPTIC Synonyms: 37 Similar and Opposite Words

apocalyptic

adjective

ə-ˌpä-kə-ˈlip-tik

variants also apocalyptical

Definition of apocalyptic

as in climactic

of, relating to, or being a major turning point the apocalyptic Battle of Stalingrad, which led to the ultimate defeat of Nazi Germany

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of apocalyptic Even if the movie gets a bit crazy in an apocalyptic epilogue, its picture of bourgeois smugness due for a takedown is delicious. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026 That apocalyptic day has been imprinted on your memory since boyhood. — Ken Frydman, New York Daily News, 7 Sep. 2026 America’s sense of security was smashed with apocalyptic fury Tuesday when the most destructive and meticulously planned terror attack in history shattered two of the country’s most potent symbols. — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 6 Sep. 2026 As our journey continues, the road twists through apocalyptic terrain until, out of nowhere, life reappears. — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for apocalyptic

Recent Examples of Synonyms for apocalyptic

Adjective

Their climactic scenes near the end, once all the obstacles have been removed, are lovely — and not just because Austen’s prose in their outcome is so indestructible.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.

— Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of climactic

Adjective

America is at a critical crossroads for the type of future in store beyond issues of affordability, groceries and gas prices due to global conflicts.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Numerous books written by women who fled the FLDS community provide autobiographical and critical accounts of the group.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of critical

Adjective

The settlement resolved a pivotal case years in the making that sought to hold the tech giant accountable for the role its platforms played in undermining children's mental health.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
The order of several pivotal scenes in Ali Hazelwood’s The Love Hypothesis was switched up for the film adaptation of the bestselling romance novel, which is directed by Claire Scanlon and stars Tom Bateman and Lili Reinhart.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of pivotal

Adjective

Keeping high-ethylene producers away from climacteric fruits can keep them from ripening too quickly.

— Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 15 July 2025
For this reader, roughly the same age as Sam Raymond, there is uncommon pleasure in the paradoxes of this climacteric tale.

— Claire Messud, Harper's Magazine, 22 June 2021

Definition of climacteric

Adjective

Its high density allows power-generation equipment such as turbines and heat exchangers to be considerably more compact than comparable steam-cycle equipment.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
Stanford professor Matt Abrahams and Zapier CEO Wade Foster discuss how leaders are using AI to synthesize information, structure ideas, prepare for difficult conversations, and rehearse for high-stakes moments.

— Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of high

Adjective

These will show whether the vote was a watershed moment in the demise of an anti-fascist consensus dating back to World War II, or the latest in a series of elections worldwide in which frustrated voters simply cast out incumbents.

— ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
Regulators and online safety advocates called it a watershed moment, and both Meta and state attorneys general called on TikTok and YouTube to make similar changes.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of watershed

Browse Nearby Words

apocalypses

apocalyptic

apocryphal

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“Apocalyptic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apocalyptic. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of apocalyptic

adjective

Example Sentences

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