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

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

The apocalyptic tale pits our hero Ellie not against the zombies that served as the frequent antagonists in the first game, but other people bent on destroying her and her surrogate father Joel. —Eliana Dockterman, Time, 11 Apr. 2025

The couple held apocalyptic religious beliefs that prosecutors claimed were used to justify the killings of Tylee, JJ and Daybell's first wife, Tammy Daybell. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2025

Oh, and all of the action is taking place in a manufactured community...an enormous bunker inside a Colorado mountain used to protect thousands from an apocalyptic natural disaster made worse by nuclear panic. —Ew Staff, EW.com, 28 Mar. 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