View synonyms for world

world

[ wurld ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the earth or globe, considered as a planet.
(often initial capital letter) a particular division of the earth:
the Western world.
the earth or a part of it, with its inhabitants, affairs, etc., during a particular period:
the ancient world.
humankind; the human race; humanity:
The world must eliminate war and poverty.
the public generally:
The whole world knows it.
the class of persons devoted to the affairs, interests, or pursuits of this life:
The world worships success.
a particular class of people, with common interests, aims, etc.:
the fashionable world.
any sphere, realm, or domain, with all pertaining to it:
a child's world; the world of dreams; the insect world.
everything that exists; the universe; the macrocosm.
any complex whole conceived as resembling the universe:
the world of the microcosm.
one of the three general groupings of physical nature:
animal world; mineral world; vegetable world.
any period, state, or sphere of existence:
this world; the world to come.
Often worlds. a great deal:
That vacation was worlds of fun.
any indefinitely great expanse.
any heavenly body:
the starry worlds.

World

noun

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)

world

/ wɜːld /

noun

the earth as a planet, esp including its inhabitants
mankind; the human race
people generally; the public
in the eyes of the world
social or public life
to go out into the world
the universe or cosmos; everything in existence
a complex united whole regarded as resembling the universe
any star or planet, esp one that might be inhabited
often capital a division or section of the earth, its history, or its inhabitants
the Ancient World
the Western World
the Third World
an area, sphere, or realm considered as a complete environment
the animal world
any field of human activity or way of life or those involved in it
the world of television
a period or state of existence
the next world
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
a large amount, number, or distance
worlds apart
worldly or secular life, ways, or people
See possible world
logic See possible world
all the world and his wife
all the world and his wife a large group of people of various kinds
bring into the world
bring into the world
1. (of a midwife, doctor, etc) to deliver (a baby)
2. to give birth to
come into the world
come into the world to be born
dead to the world informal.
dead to the world unaware of one's surroundings, esp fast asleep or very drunk
for the world
for the world used with a negative for any inducement, however great
for all the world
for all the world in every way; exactly
give to the world
give to the world to publish
in the world
in the world usually used with a negative (intensifier)
no-one in the world can change things
man of the world
man of the worldwoman of the world a man or woman experienced in social or public life
not long for this world
not long for this world nearing death
on top of the world informal.
on top of the world exultant, elated, or very happy
informal.
wonderful; excellent
set the world on fire
set the world on fire to be exceptionally or sensationally successful
the best of both worlds
the best of both worlds the benefits from two different or opposed ways of life, philosophies, etc
think the world of
think the world of to be extremely fond of or hold in very high esteem
world of one's own
world of one's own a state of mental detachment from other people
world without end
world without end for ever
modifier of or concerning most or all countries; worldwide
world politics
a world record
in combination throughout the world
world-famous

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Other Words From

counter·world noun
inter·world noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of world¹

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” ( virile ( def ), werewolf ( def ), old ( def )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of world¹

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 )

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

bring into the world,
1. to give birth to; bear:
  My grandmother brought nine children into the world.
2. to deliver (a baby):
  the doctor brought many children into the world.
come into the world, to be born:
Her first child came into the world in June.
for all the world,
1. for any consideration, however great:
  She wouldn't come to visit us for all the world.
2. in every respect; precisely:
  You look for all the world like my Aunt Mary.
in the world,
1. at all; ever:
  I never in the world would have believed such an obvious lie.
2. from among all possibilities:
  Where in the world did you find that hat?
out of this / the world, exceptional; fine:
The chef prepared a roast duck that was out of this world.
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.
think the world of, to like or admire greatly:
His coworkers think the world of him.
world without end, for all eternity; for always.
on top of the world. top ¹( def 48 ).

More idioms and phrases containing world

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

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Synonym Study

See earth.

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Example Sentences

With fires burning in so many disparate corners of the world, one might assume that wildfires have been growing every year.

From Vox

Democratic-run New Jersey and New York, with death rates of 181 and 168, respectively, would lead the entire world.

From Vox

This makes TikTok the seventh most popular social media platform in the world.

From Search Engine Watch

Coastal wetlands have been shrinking around the world for the last century.

From Science News For Students

It housed humans for 40,000 years while our species grew and grew around the world.

From Nautilus

The world that Black Dynamite lives in is not the most PC place to be in.

From The Daily Beast

Have a look at this telling research from Pew on blasphemy and apostasy laws around the world.

From The Daily Beast

Allegations of transphobia are not new in the world of gay online dating.

From The Daily Beast

People watch night soaps because the genre allows them to believe in a world where people just react off their baser instincts.

From The Daily Beast

Editorial and political cartoon pages from throughout the world almost unanimously came to the same conclusion.

From The Daily Beast

Descending the Alps to the east or south into Piedmont, a new world lies around and before you.

From Project Gutenberg

All over the world the just claims of organized labor are intermingled with the underground conspiracy of social revolution.

From Project Gutenberg

There seems something in that also which I could spare only very reluctantly from a new Bible in the world.

From Project Gutenberg

That it is a reasonable and proper thing to ask our statesmen and politicians: what is going to happen to the world?

From Project Gutenberg

The "new world" was really found in the wonder-years of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

From Project Gutenberg

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

work wonders World Bank

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