a·poc·a·lyp·tic

(ə-pŏk′ə-lĭp′tĭk) also a·poc·a·lyp·ti·cal (-tĭ-kəl)

adj.

1. Relating to or predicting the end of the world, especially as described in the Bible or another religious text.

2. Relating to or predicting widespread destruction or the collapse of civilization: "The refugees in the camps spoke of apocalyptic devastation and tens of thousands dead" (Amitav Ghosh).

3. Characterized by predictions of or allusions to a disastrous outcome: spoke of the impending economic crisis in apocalyptic terms.

a·poc′a·lyp′ti·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

apocalyptic

(əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪk)

adj

1. outstanding in revelation, prophecy, or significance

2. of or like an apocalypse

aˌpocaˈlyptically adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•poc•a•lyp•tic

(əˌpɒk əˈlɪp tɪk)

also a•poc`a•lyp′ti•cal,

adj.

1. of or like an apocalypse.

2. affording a revelation or prophecy, esp. of destruction.

[1620–30; < Late Greek]

a•poc`a•lyp′ti•cal•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	apocalyptic - prophetic of devastation or ultimate doom apocalyptical, revelatory prophetic, prophetical - foretelling events as if by supernatural intervention; "prophetic writings"; "prophetic powers"; "words that proved prophetic"
	2.	apocalyptic - of or relating to an apocalypse

apocalyptic

adjective disastrous, terrible, devastating, tragic, fatal, dreadful, destructive, harmful, dire, catastrophic, detrimental, calamitous, cataclysmic, unpropitious, cataclysmal He saw the news in apocalyptic terms.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

apocalyptic

adjective

Portending future disaster:

apocalyptical, baneful, dire, direful, fateful, fire-and-brimstone, grave, hellfire, ominous, portentous, unlucky.

Translations

apocalíptic

apocaliptic

apocalyptic

[əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪk] ADJ → apocalíptico

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

apocalyptic

[əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪk] adj [vision, warnings] → apocalyptique

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

apocalyptic

adj → apokalyptisch

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

apocalyptic

[əˌpɒkəˈlɪptɪk] adj → apocalittico/a

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Its seven letters seemed to hang right across the clouds like the Seven Stars, an apocalyptic constellation, a veritable sky sign; and again the name was an angel standing with a silver trumpet, and again it was a song.

View in context

Its name occurs several times in the Bible, one or two of the disciples of Christ visited it, and here was located one of the original seven apocalyptic churches spoken of in Revelations.

View in context

A silence reigned during which the flanks of the old horse, the steed of apocalyptic misery, smoked upwards in the light of the charitable gas-lamp.

View in context

Fisher instantly stepped toward him with the pink paper in his hand, and, with a few words, pointed out the apocalyptic paragraph.

View in context

She had long ousted London from her pride of place as the modern Babylon, she was the centre of the world's finance, the world's trade, and the world's pleasure; and men likened her to the apocalyptic cities of the ancient prophets.

View in context

A LARGE power cut caused "apocalyptic" rush-hour scenes across England and Wales, with traffic lights down and trains coming to a standstill.

Power cuts cause rush-hour mayhem

Gender in Post-9/11 American Apocalyptic TV: Representations of Masculinity and Femininity at the End of the World

This terrorist attack was the most extreme manifestation of apocalyptic thinking among Indonesian jihadis.

Apocalyptic Thought, Conspiracism and Jihad in Indonesia

The apocalyptic series takes place in a world mostly wiped out by the plague and aACoeembroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil,aACA[yen] according to CBS, reported Variety.

Stephen KingaACAOs aACAyThe StandaACAO to be made into series

I will suggest that Her presents a different vision of the possible future of A.I., one which still involves the creation of divinity, but no longer a singular divinity bent on apocalyptic wrath; instead, Her envisions a new divine pantheon leading to different religious results but one that is not without its own problems.

A New Patheon: Artificial intelligence and "Her"

While a common subject for film, television, books, and music, this broad understanding of apocalypse belies the complexity of the ways of thinking, speaking, and being that can be described as "apocalyptic." Although scholars across disciplines have mapped many of the characteristics and much of the content associated with "apocalyptic," the category's meaning remains up for debate, and it continues to be used in new ways and toward new ends.

ON THE EDGE OF APOCALYPSE: AN INTRODUCTION

Typically, the apocalyptic event is both foreseeable yet unpreventable.

COLUMN: AFTER THE APOCALYPSE