in the world
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
existing or happening anywhere
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
This is the best restaurant in the world
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
nghĩ sao
(adverb) how the hell; how in the world; what were you thinking?
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
quỷ sứ
(noun) a type of errand demon in the world of the dead
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
hà cớ gì
why the hell; why in the world; why in God's name
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
vạn quốc
(noun) all the countries in the world
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
why in God's name
Used to express strong frustration or annoyance
English · via hà cớ gì
Near equivalent
why in the world
used to express surprise or confusion
English · via hà cớ gì
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “in the world” mean?
existing or happening anywhere
Is “in the world” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“nghĩ sao” (Tiếng Việt) — near equivalent.