1
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
an ancient cataclysm that may have been the basis for the Flood described in the Bible
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake that struck Lisbon in 1755, killing 30,000 people, was one of the greatest cataclysms ever recorded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
a social cataclysm that gave rise to a new world order
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cataclysm
Just a few things going a bit wrong could compound, all at once, into a cataclysm.
—
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
In the early 2000s, scientists first saw these conspicuous cataclysms, which can shine much longer and be more than 10 times brighter than a normal supernova.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Santayana’s writings served as a guiding light during some of the darkest days of two World Wars and the near cataclysm of the mid-20th century—a fate that none other than Ray Dalio sees repeating itself in the near future.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Jamie, after Plastic Beach, changed his life quite dramatically and moved to France, and that was quite a cataclysm in our relationship at the time.
—Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
In the early 2000s, scientists first saw these conspicuous cataclysms, which can shine much longer and be more than 10 times brighter than a normal supernova.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Santayana’s writings served as a guiding light during some of the darkest days of two World Wars and the near cataclysm of the mid-20th century—a fate that none other than Ray Dalio sees repeating itself in the near future.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 17 Feb. 2026
Jamie, after Plastic Beach, changed his life quite dramatically and moved to France, and that was quite a cataclysm in our relationship at the time.
—Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
An aerial photo of the Cheboygan Lock and Dam taken Saturday, April 11, shows water moving through the system, and flood precautionary measures, including pumps and sandbags, being taken at the dam.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Don't walk through flood waters.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Use a bag bungee Trying to balance a travel tote on top of a rolling suitcase is a disaster waiting to happen, especially when navigating crowded terminals.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
-
When the smoke alarm stayed silent, one very loud dog made sure his family didn’t sleep through a disaster.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Set in Shizuoka during the 1970s and ’80s, the film draws on Kimura’s own family history, following a single mother’s pursuit of personal freedom amid the social upheaval of the era.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Their home offers refuge to Black travelers navigating the upheaval of the Great Migration.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The message was met with a torrent of enthusiasm for the Indigo Girls carrying on.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
-
The images ignited a torrent of confusion and outrage at Bahraini authorities and calls for an investigation.—
Jane Lytvynenko,
NBC news,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Because of the speed of revolution, a single grain of dust can be enough to strip the magnetic film and obliterate the underlying data.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Yet, its newfound street-legal status feels less like a revolution and more like KTM finally catching up with what the bike always should’ve been.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the context of extreme space weather, some individuals or groups may interpret such an event as an impending apocalypse.—
Ryan French,
Space.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The SaaS apocalypse, in his telling, is not hype.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The impact of the explosion was so severe that homes nearby were damaged, while local residents thought the explosion was an earthquake, per the BBC.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Japan has restarted 15 reactors after reviewing the lessons of the earthquake and tsunami that damaged the Fukushima plant, and 10 more are in the process of getting approval to restart.—
Vladimir Isachenkov,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, the much-ballyhooed calamity — millions of Americans forced to go without health insurance coverage — never took place.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
19 Apr. 2026
-
In fact, the much-ballyhooed calamity — millions of Americans forced to go without health insurance coverage — never took place.—
Las Vegas Review-Journal,
Twin Cities,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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