Reaper

A reaper is a person or thing that harvests crops, especially grain, typically with a mechanical device. It is often used figuratively to describe someone or something that causes death or destruction. This can relate to diseases, natural disasters, or figures associated with mortality, such as the Grim Reaper, a personification of death. The term suggests a finality and decisive action, often implying the end of a cycle or period.

Reaper meaning with examples

• The farmer relied on the combine harvester, a modern reaper, to gather the vast wheat fields before the autumn rains. The machine efficiently cut and gathered the grain. He would then sell it and start the cycle all over again. The harvest would be in his barns before long.
• The relentless drought acted as a grim reaper, destroying the crops and leaving the land parched and barren, causing widespread famine and economic ruin. The sun bore down and left the earth barren, until the next rain.
• As the Black Death swept through Europe, it became known as the grim reaper, claiming millions of lives and leaving behind a trail of devastation. The bubonic plague would sweep through towns and cities until its course was run.
• The sudden economic downturn served as a reaper of many small businesses, forcing them into bankruptcy and causing job losses. The banks had to be bailed out while people lost their livelihoods.
• In the poem, the scythe-wielding figure symbolized the grim reaper, collecting souls and reminding us of the transient nature of life. The poet used this as a metaphor, the end of all things.