on earth
Idioms-
Also, in creation ; in the world . Ever, anywhere, of all possible things. These phrases are all used for emphasis in questions or, less often, in a negative context. For example, What on earth is he doing with a spade? or Where in creation did that child go? or How in the world do you expect me to carry all those bags? [Late 1700s]
-
like nothing on earth . Incomparable. For example, That perfume smells like nothing on earth , or Her new hair color is like nothing on earth . [c. 1900]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Helium 3 alone currently trades at more than $20,000 per kilogram, making it one of the most valuable resources on earth.
From BBC
And the second part—about Clare vanishing—what on earth did that mean?
From Literature
![]()
Not good news for Holbein, on earth or in heaven.
Your dutiful correspondent’s first impression of his favorite place on earth upon returning here for his 37th home opener wasn’t about the deep green or brilliant blue or enduring mountainscape.
From Los Angeles Times
A nation that masters this technology will be able to break any standard encryption on earth and accelerate other sciences beyond the understanding of countries without quantum computing.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.