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world-shaking

world-shaking

1 7.2
Very important and able to affect the whole world
  • adjective
  • /ˈwɜrldˌʃeɪkɪŋ/
translation icon : revolucionario
  • The invention of the internet was a world-shaking development that transformed global communication.
  • a world-shaking event
  • world-shaking importance

Even a half a standard deviation would be world shaking because there are many social problems.

Examples

  • Despite the limitations, the bishops' document represents an admirable attentiveness to an issue of world-shaking importance in the light of one group's particular tradition.

    Academic text (1992)
  • Why don't you provide me with an example of these world-shaking revelations we didn't know about?

    Blog text (26)
  • It's not as world-shaking and changing as perhaps you expect it to be.

  • Even a half a standard deviation would be world shaking because there are many social problems.

  • No effort is made to emphasize the world-shaking importance of the learning experiment; rather, it is presented as a straightforward, simple study.

    Blog text (9)
  • I know you're busy, but trust me, I'm talking about a world-shaking turn of events here.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • It is a lesson on how the popular press overblows interesting scientific findings into world-shaking discoveries.

    Blog text (2)
  • The story still doesn't have the world-shaking implications common to previous League-formative tales, but in hindsight that's OK.

    Blog text (6)
  • The agreement to reduce nuclear weapons was seen as a world-shaking achievement for international peace.

  • The discovery of a cure for a major disease would be a world-shaking moment in medical history.

Synonyms

game-changing
vsworld-shaking
12 4.6

Something that has a big effect and changes how things work

implies worldwide effect rather than change in one situation
earth-shattering
vsworld-shaking
9 6.1

Very important and surprising in a way that changes what happens

focuses on global scale impact rather than surprise
world-shattering
vsworld-shaking
1 7.0

Very important and likely to change many things

is the same idea but uses a different vivid metaphor
earthshaking
vsworld-shaking
1 7.2

Very important and likely to cause big changes

stresses potential to affect the whole world

Antonyms

121 3.9

Not important or serious

104 4.1

Not important or too small to matter

How Significant

world-shaking
1 7.2
epoch-making
  • Formal
1 8.8
significant
2.5
notable
112 3.7
minor
600 2.4
unremarkable
20 3.5

Surface Forms

world-shaking positive

Morphology

world-shaking = world + shake (transparent) = world + shake + ing

The adjective is directly built from 'world' + 'shake' (with -ing), so learners can infer it means causing or having impact on the world.

Etymology

World-shaking comes from the simple parts world and shake, so imagine an event that 'shakes' the whole earth like a giant earthquake. That's why world-shaking means something with a very large effect that can change the whole world.