cataclysm

noun

cat·​a·​clysm ˈka-tə-ˌkli-zəm How to pronounce cataclysm (audio)
1
2
3
: a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition
broadly : an event that brings great changes
an international economic cataclysm
cataclysmal adjective
or cataclysmic
cataclysmically adverb

Examples of cataclysm in a Sentence

floods, earthquakes, and other cataclysms The country barely survived the cataclysm of war. The revolution could result in worldwide cataclysm.
Recent Examples on the Web The juxtaposition of political cataclysm and the tranquillity of the tub captures the feeling of mental excitement, imbuing the life of the mind with physical energy. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 7 Dec. 2023 Triumphing over the monster is less about destroying him and more about finding the will to live after a great cataclysm. David Sims, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2024 Coupling that distance with a separate measurement of how fast the supernova is moving away from Earth reveals the speed at which the cosmos was expanding when that stellar cataclysm took place. Ashley Balzer Vigil, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2024 Murphy plays this cataclysm with an all-too-genuine rue and fear. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Dec. 2023 The tour traces the odyssey of Jews over the last century or so, centering on the historic cataclysm of World War II. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Jan. 2024 Astrophysicists initially weren’t sure, but the tremendous energies involved pointed to world-ending cataclysms. Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023 This hypnotic novella, written in the nineteen-sixties but appearing only now in the U.S., takes place after a nuclear cataclysm, and is narrated by a man living in a luxury resort that has been converted into a sanctuary for the rich. The New Yorker, 8 Jan. 2024 Share this article Newsletter Get Quanta Magazine delivered to your inbox Recent newsletters Introduction Understanding the faster cataclysm would take another decade and sharper tools. Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cataclysm.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, from Greek kataklysmos, from kataklyzein to inundate, from kata- + klyzein to wash — more at clyster

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cataclysm was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near cataclysm

Cite this Entry

“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cataclysm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cataclysm

noun
cat·​a·​clysm ˈkat-ə-ˌkliz-əm How to pronounce cataclysm (audio)
1
: a great flood
2
: a violent and destructive natural event (as an earthquake)
3
: a violent social or political change
cataclysmal adjective
or cataclysmic

More from Merriam-Webster on cataclysm

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