end of the world
The phrase "end of the world" can refer to literal or metaphorical catastrophic events, often used in religious, cultural, and idiomatic contexts.
Definition
C1Religion
(eschatology, mythology)A prophesied event marking the final destruction or transformation of the world, often involving judgment and ultimate fate.
Example
- Many religions have their own narratives about the end of the world.
- In Christianity, the end of the world is associated with the Second Coming of Christ.
B2General
(idiomatic, informal)A hyperbolic expression used to describe a situation that seems extremely bad but is not literally apocalyptic.
Example
- Losing your job is not the end of the world.
- It won't be the end of the world if it rains on the wedding day.
C1Scientific
(technical, academic)A catastrophic event or series of events causing the destruction of human civilization or the planet.
Example
- Scientists study potential scenarios that could lead to the end of the world, such as asteroid impacts or nuclear war.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "end of the world":
ends of the worldend timesthe enddoomsday eventend of the lineend of storyend of dayends of the earthdoomsday cultworld to comeno enddoomsday devicehell on earthother end