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

In The Last of Us, Ramsey plays Ellie, the young survivor of an apocalyptic plague that has decimated humanity. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025

The play looks at a more innocent time in our level of apocalyptic fears and compares it to our current state of high alert. —Jeryl Brunner, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025

Lately, the world has been seeing apocalyptic images of the devastation in northern Gaza—a landscape without sewage, running water, or machines to clear rubble. —Ayesha Khan, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025

This led to protests, uprisings, peace agreements, then an apocalyptic, full-on war. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 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