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
Perhaps a cataclysm—an earthquake, a volcanic eruption—had driven those people away.
—
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
That industry, and its relationship to the city and state that cradled it for so long, is in a state of upheaval (or cataclysm, depending on who’s talking), which makes a pilgrimage to the Hollywood Heritage Museum even more powerful.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Their tribe decimated by volcanic eruptions, a cataclysm their goddess Eywa did nothing to alleviate, the ash people are aggrieved, aggressive and, unlike the tribes in Pandora's low-lying regions, willing to embrace technology.
—Bob Mondello, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
Every year, come rain or shine or strike or global cataclysm, Slow Horses delivers a new season.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
That industry, and its relationship to the city and state that cradled it for so long, is in a state of upheaval (or cataclysm, depending on who’s talking), which makes a pilgrimage to the Hollywood Heritage Museum even more powerful.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Their tribe decimated by volcanic eruptions, a cataclysm their goddess Eywa did nothing to alleviate, the ash people are aggrieved, aggressive and, unlike the tribes in Pandora's low-lying regions, willing to embrace technology.
—Bob Mondello, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025
Every year, come rain or shine or strike or global cataclysm, Slow Horses delivers a new season.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
During heavy rainfall, there is a risk of flooding, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The New Colgate Powerhouse went online in 1969 as part of the New Bullards Bar project, a multipurpose hydroelectric and flood control system built for Yuba County after the devastating Christmas flood of 1955.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Another measure, House Bill 1645, would create state versions of FEMA programs as Mississippi officials prepare for reduced federal disaster support.—
ALEX ROZIER Mississippi Today,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The February 2021 freeze became one of the deadliest and costliest disasters in state history.—
Newsroom Meteorologist,
Houston Chronicle,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And then there’s D’Amaro, who will need to chart a course for the most powerful of all traditional entertainment companies amid that tech upheaval.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Wilson isn’t alone in shutting out the noise of the industry’s upheaval.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In a series of opposition letters, the cities unleashed a torrent of criticism.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
As the episodes rolled out, Underwood started receiving a torrent of online bullying.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The energy of Aquarius invites revolution, innovation, and liberation, while the energy of the Fire Horse invites you to create momentum, with courage and freedom.—
Marie Bladt,
Vogue,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Much has been written about the coming AI revolution.—
Neil Senturia,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sure, there’s the intimation of a world gone to pieces, whether from a quantum apocalypse or an ecological catastrophe; there’s the presentation of a modern self, stripped of its qualities and evacuated of purpose.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The first time was in 2009, when papers across the country were slashing books coverage in an attempt to stave off budgetary apocalypse.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Avalanches are rapid, massive slides of snow, ice, rock and soil that can be caused by storms, earthquakes or snowpack deterioration.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The earthquake struck at a depth of 4 miles, with its epicenter roughly 8 miles southeast of Bodfish.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
His exile finally ended in November—just in time for a second crypto calamity in the form of FTX’s collapse.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
-
And perhaps no one is more familiar with how thin the line is between triumph and calamity than Vonn.—
Will Graves,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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