cataract

noun

ˈka-tə-ˌrakt How to pronounce cataract (audio)
Definition of cataractnext
1
as in waterfall
a fall of water usually from a great height the roaring cataract is one of the park's most majestic sights

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms in spring the melting snows usually produce a cataract that inundates the valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataract
  1. waterfall
  2. flood
  3. cascade
  4. torrent
Noun
  • The shop is an easy addition to a fall trip through Tucker County, where visitors can also hike, see waterfalls and take in the changing leaves.
    — Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Olson crushed a breaking ball for a 422-foot homer, his 32nd of the year, into the waterfall in center field.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of waterfall
Noun
  • The loss of virtual companions has provoked a flood of complaints, according to posts and screenshots shown on social media.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Campaigners have called on policymakers to impose higher taxes on energy majors to help fund climate-resilient infrastructure, such as fire and flood defenses.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of flood
Noun
  • And then for acne, there were three products that started the cascade of development.
    — Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Over the past two years, her family has endured a cascade of climate and economic shocks.
    — Kathy Baughman McLeod, Time, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of cascade
Noun
  • Social media companies faced a torrent of lawsuits alleging that their design can cause addictive behavior and harm users' mental health.
    — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities warned of a high risk of geological disasters in parts of Zhejiang, while residents in areas covered by a red mountain-torrent warning were told to ‌follow local evacuation orders.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of torrent
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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catapults
cataract
cataracts
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Cite this Entry

“Cataract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataract. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cataract

Nglish: Translation of cataract for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cataract

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