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Definition of catastrophe
catastrophes
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 Deforestation and erosion can lead to an ecological catastrophe.
3a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earthb : a violent usually destructive natural event (such as a supernova)
4 : utter failure : fiasco the party was a catastrophe
From the M-W Editors
catastrophe was our Word of the Day on 04/28/2011. Hear the podcast!
Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
Examples of catastrophe in a Sentence
The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe.
Experts fear a humanitarian catastrophe if food isn't delivered to the refugees soon.
an area on the brink of catastrophe
Recent Examples of catastrophe from the Web
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Many grilled squid experiments end up in curled little catastrophes, complete with pockets of slimy flesh.
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While casting blame on everyone else, Trump is reportedly toying with the idea of firing Mueller—a move that would all but guarantee political catastrophe for the already historically unpopular president.
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Blood Drive, a new horror series on SyFy, is set in a distant future in which a series of earthquakes caused by fracking has set off an environmental catastrophe.
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Upon its debut, the clock was set to seven minutes to midnight (on the Doomsday Clock, midnight signifies, well, doomsday: total catastrophe).
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By avoiding the definitively supernatural (aside from the October catastrophe) while still maintaining a deep sense of the weird, The Leftovers was more than just a riveting example of contemporary surreality TV.
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As the water catastrophe stretches into its third year, Lyon is the highest-ranking member of Republican Governor Rick Snyder’s administration to get ensnarled in the ongoing criminal investigation.
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Here’s the bottom line: Donald Trump and Republicans want to open the door to another economic catastrophe like the Great Recession and return us to a financial system where reckless and predatory practices harm our families and communities.
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Trump's withdrawal is a catastrophe for the climate.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'catastrophe'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
When English speakers first borrowed the Greek word catastrophe in the 1500s, they used it for the conclusion or final event of a dramatic work, especially of a tragedy. By the early 1600s, "catastrophe" was being used more generally of any generally unhappy conclusion or disastrous or ruinous end. By the 18th century, "catastrophe" had come to denote truly devastating events, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Finally, it came to be applied to things that are only figuratively catastrophic - burnt dinners, lost luggage, really bad movies, etc.
Origin and Etymology of catastrophe
Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from kata- + strephein to turn
Other Literature Terms
CATASTROPHE Defined for English Language Learners
CATASTROPHE Defined for Kids
Medical Dictionary
catastrophe
playMedical Definition of catastrophe
: death (as from an inexplicable cause) before, during, or after an operation
Learn More about catastrophe
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for catastrophe Spanish Central: Translation of catastrophe Nglish: Translation of catastrophe for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of catastrophe for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catastrophe
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