catastrophe

ca·tas·tro·phe

noun \kə-ˈtas-trə-(ˌ)fē\

Definition of CATASTROPHE

1

: the final event of the dramatic action especially of a tragedy

2

: a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin

3

a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth b : a violent usually destructive natural event (as a supernova)

4

: utter failure : fiasco <the party was a catastrophe>

— cat·a·stroph·ic \ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fik\ adjective

— cat·a·stroph·i·cal·ly \-fi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Examples of CATASTROPHE

1. The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.
2. Experts fear a humanitarian catastrophe if food isn't delivered to the refugees soon.
3. an area on the brink of catastrophe

Origin of CATASTROPHE

Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from kata- + strephein to turn

First Known Use: 1540

Related to CATASTROPHE

Synonyms: apocalypse, calamity, cataclysm, disaster, debacle (also débâcle), tragedy

Antonyms: blockbuster, hit, smash, success, winner

Related Words: bloodbath, collapse, crash, meltdown; Armageddon, doomsday, end-time; convulsion, paroxysm, upheaval; accident, casualty, fatality; misadventure, mischance, misfortune, mishap; blast, blow, double whammy, one-two (or one-two punch)

Near Antonyms: godsend, manna, windfall

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Literature Terms

apophasis, bathos, bildungsroman, bowdlerize, caesura, coda, doggerel, euphemism, poesy, prosody