world

[ wurld ]
See synonyms for world on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the earth or globe, considered as a planet.

  2. (often initial capital letter) a particular division of the earth: the Western world.

  1. the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period: the ancient world.

  2. humankind; the human race; humanity: The world must eliminate war and poverty.

  3. the public generally: The whole world knows it.

  4. the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life: The world worships success.

  5. a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.: the fashionable world.

  6. any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it: a child's world; the world of dreams; the insect world.

  7. everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.

  8. any complex whole conceived as resembling the universe: the world of the microcosm.

  9. one of the three general groupings of physical nature: animal world; mineral world; vegetable world.

  10. any period, state, or sphere of existence: this world; the world to come.

  11. Often worlds. a great deal: That vacation was worlds of fun.

  12. any indefinitely great expanse.

  13. any heavenly body: the starry worlds.

Idioms about world

  1. bring into the world,

    • to give birth to; bear: My grandmother brought nine children into the world.

    • to deliver (a baby): the doctor brought many children into the world.

  2. come into the world, to be born: Her first child came into the world in June.

  1. for all the world,

    • for any consideration, however great: She wouldn't come to visit us for all the world.

    • in every respect; precisely: You look for all the world like my Aunt Mary.

  2. in the world,

    • at all; ever: I never in the world would have believed such an obvious lie.

    • from among all possibilities: Where in the world did you find that hat?

  3. on top of the world. top1 (def. 48).

  4. out of this / the world, exceptional; fine: The chef prepared a roast duck that was out of this world.

  5. set the world on fire, to achieve great fame and success: He didn't seem to be the type to set the world on fire.

  6. think the world of, to like or admire greatly: His coworkers think the world of him.

  7. world without end, for all eternity; for always.

Origin of world

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English world, weorold; cognate with Dutch wereld, German Welt, Old Norse verǫld, all from (unnattested) Germanic wer-ald- literally, “age of man” (see virile, werewolf, old

synonym study For world

1. See earth.

Other words from world

  • coun·ter·world, noun
  • in·ter·world, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use world in a sentence

  • He had to get evidence, and that evidence lay in only one place—in the local office of the Interworld Corporation in Vaornia.

    Insidekick | Jesse Franklin Bone
  • Interworld News was pro-Fuzzy; the commentator in the car was being extremely sarcastic about the whole thing.

    Little Fuzzy | Henry Beam Piper
  • He shifted to the Interworld News frequency; they were covering the Fuzzy hunt from an aircar.

    Little Fuzzy | Henry Beam Piper
  • The interworld trade sharks would have skinned him long ago and divided the stripped carcass of his company between them.

    The Lani People | J. F. Bone

British Dictionary definitions for world (1 of 2)

world

/ (wɜːld) /


noun
  1. the earth as a planet, esp including its inhabitants

  2. mankind; the human race

  1. people generally; the public: in the eyes of the world

  2. social or public life: to go out into the world

  3. the universe or cosmos; everything in existence

  4. a complex united whole regarded as resembling the universe

  5. any star or planet, esp one that might be inhabited

  6. (often capital) a division or section of the earth, its history, or its inhabitants: the Western World; the Ancient World; the Third World

  7. an area, sphere, or realm considered as a complete environment: the animal world

  8. any field of human activity or way of life or those involved in it: the world of television

  9. a period or state of existence: the next world

  10. the total circumstances and experience of an individual that make up his life, esp that part of it relating to happiness: you have shattered my world

  11. a large amount, number, or distance: worlds apart

  12. worldly or secular life, ways, or people

  13. logic See possible world

  14. all the world and his wife a large group of people of various kinds

  15. bring into the world

    • (of a midwife, doctor, etc) to deliver (a baby)

    • to give birth to

  16. come into the world to be born

  17. dead to the world informal unaware of one's surroundings, esp fast asleep or very drunk

  18. for the world (used with a negative) for any inducement, however great

  19. for all the world in every way; exactly

  20. give to the world to publish

  21. in the world (usually used with a negative) (intensifier): no-one in the world can change things

  22. man of the world or woman of the world a man or woman experienced in social or public life

  23. not long for this world nearing death

  24. on top of the world informal exultant, elated, or very happy

  25. informal wonderful; excellent

  26. set the world on fire to be exceptionally or sensationally successful

  27. the best of both worlds the benefits from two different or opposed ways of life, philosophies, etc

  28. think the world of to be extremely fond of or hold in very high esteem

  29. world of one's own a state of mental detachment from other people

  30. world without end for ever

  31. (modifier) of or concerning most or all countries; worldwide: world politics; a world record

  32. (in combination) throughout the world: world-famous

Origin of world

1
Old English w (e) orold, from wer man + ald age, life; related to Old Frisian warld, wrald, Old Norse verold, Old High German wealt (German Welt)

British Dictionary definitions for World (2 of 2)

World

nounThe World
  1. a man-made archipelago of 300 reclaimed islands built off the coast of Dubai in the shape of a map of the world. Area: 63 sq km (24 sq miles)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with world

world

In addition to the idioms beginning with world

  • world is one's oyster, the
  • world of good, a

also see:

  • all over the place (world)
  • best of both worlds
  • bring into the world
  • come up (in the world)
  • dead to the world
  • for all the world
  • go out (of the world)
  • in one's own world
  • it's a small world
  • laugh and the world laughs with you
  • man of the world
  • move up (in the world)
  • not for all the tea in china (for the world)
  • on earth (in the world), what
  • on top of the world
  • out of this world
  • set the world on fire
  • think a lot (the world) of
  • third world
  • with the best will in the world

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.