in the world

prepositional phrase

An intensifier, often used after an interrogative word.

“What in the world was that?”

Similar
on the face of the earththe dickens
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Meanings

prepositional phrase
  1. idiomaticAn intensifier, often used after an interrogative word.

    What in the world was that?

    2 more examples

    Who in the world would want to do that?

    "My darling child!" she cried, folding the little girl in her arms and covering her face with kisses. "Where in the world did you come from?"

    1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, chapter 24, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC
  2. Used for emphasis after a qualified noun.

    the happiest girl in the world

    1 more example

    Writing a “Treehouse Of Horror”segment has to be both exhilarating and daunting. It’s exhilarating because it affords writers all the freedom in the world.

    2012 April 29, Nathan Rabin, “TV: Review: THE SIMPSONS (CLASSIC): “Treehouse of Horror III” (season 4, episode 5; originally aired 10/29/1992)”, in AV Club, archived from the original on 15 Aug 2012

    Synonyms: on the face of the earth

  3. lifestyleIn this present age; here and now.

    In the world you will have trouble, but I leave you my peace that where I am there you may also be.

    1998, Rich Mullins, “That Where I am There You...”
    1. lifestyleCharacteristic of wider society; worldly.

      With some effort and discipline anyone can learn to get up early and to stand through long church services, to make prostrations and to work, and work hard, at jobs that you don’t necessarily like. A lot of people in the world have a much more difficult life in that sense.

      2023 July 7 (last accessed), “Monasticism in 21st Century”, in The Holy Monastery of St Paisius

Synonyms & antonyms

prepositional phraseUsed for emphasis after a qualified noun.

Similar
on the face of the earth
Similar
the dickens
Also see
aliveon the face of the earth

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 到底, 究竟
  • 到底 (dàodǐ)used for emphasis after an interrogative
  • 究竟 (jiūjìng)used for emphasis after an interrogative
  • 世界上 (shìjièshang)used for emphasis together with a noun
Danish i alverden
  • i alverdenused for emphasis after an interrogative
Dutch ter wereld
  • ter wereldused for emphasis together with a noun
Finnish ihme (matches the case of mikä), kumma
  • ihme (matches the case of mikä)used for emphasis after an interrogative
  • kummaused for emphasis after an interrogative
  • maailmanused for emphasis together with a noun
French au monde
  • au mondeused for emphasis after an interrogative
German in aller Welt, in Gottes Namen
  • in aller Weltused for emphasis after an interrogative
  • in Gottes Namenused for emphasis after an interrogative
  • in Herrgotts Namenused for emphasis after an interrogative
  • um Himmels willenused for emphasis after an interrogative
Polish na świecie, na świecie
  • na świecieused for emphasis after an interrogative
  • na świecieused for emphasis together with a noun
Spanish del mundo
  • del mundoused for emphasis together with a noun
Cite this entry
APA

in the world. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20world

MLA

“in the world.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20world. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “in the world,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/in%20the%20world.

Source: in the world on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.