Prophet of Doom

What Does "Prophet of Doom" Mean?

"Prophet of doom" is an English idiom. It means "a person who habitually predicts negative or disastrous outcomes" (often without evidence or exaggeration). A prophet of doom focuses on pessimistic scenarios and can be overly alarmist or gloomy in their outlook.

Examples in Sentences

Here are three examples of the idiom "prophet of doom" used in a sentence:

• Sarah always plays the role of the prophet of doom in our group, constantly warning us about potential problems and rarely acknowledging the positive aspects of any situation.
• The weather forecasters were accused of being prophets of doom when they predicted a minor snowfall, but the reality turned out to be a sunny day.
• John's constant predictions of economic collapse and societal breakdown earned him a reputation as a prophet of doom, but most of his prophecies never came true.

What Is an Idiom?

An idiom is a commonly used expression whose meaning does not relate to the literal meaning of its words. In other words, if you were to translate "Prophet of Doom" word for word, there is no guarantee the translation would help you to understand the meaning.

An idiom often includes a cultural or historical context that makes it difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. A phrase is classified as an idiom when a direct translation of the words does not reveal the meaning. Most idioms rely on shared knowledge or experiences known only to a specific community.

A Quick Test

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