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
And star-formation will continue for trillions of years, providing new lights in the sky and new chances for cataclysms like supernovae, kilonovae, and tidal disruption events.
—
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
The flood of Chinese car exports to the rest of the world does not stem from some kind of altruistic intention from President Xi Jinping to increase global mobility.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
1 May 2026
-
The exhibit included two amphibious trucks that AT&T personnel have used to cross rivers and floods to restore cell sites, plus a 46-foot-long landing craft that the firm bought two years ago to transport up to 20,000 pounds of larger vehicles and gear.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
While stationed in Japan, Fryday helped coordinate disaster relief efforts after the 2011 tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
In year three, there were still injuries, and the team was a disaster.—
David Troy,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
The hoard sheds new light on Norway's economy during a turbulent period in the country's history, remembered for political upheaval, power shifts, Viking expeditions and an influx of wealth from abroad, Innlandet officials said.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The move comes amid a dramatic upheaval for LIV Golf.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
With each goal, a torrent of emotion was let loose.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The complaint stated that officers unleashed a torrent of pepper spray, tear gas grenades, rubber bullets and baton strikes, despite the women posing no threat and complying with officers’ orders.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Latin America’s revolutions, however moderate, had nonetheless involved ending slavery.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
California’s ripe for an economic revolution.—
Kaitlyn Schallhorn,
Oc Register,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Ellie and Joel’s trek through the post-apocalypse remains a somber meditation on loss and brutal human nature.—
George Yang,
PC Magazine,
1 May 2026
-
The movie stars Austin Abrams, who also starred in Weapons, as a courier who unexpectedly finds himself in the midst of what appears to be the outbreak of a zombie apocalypse.—
Tommy McArdle,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Droves of sea lions began lounging at the dock shortly in 1989 shortly after the Loma Prieta earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay Area.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Those who felt the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Democrats have worried that their crowded field could result in two Republicans advancing, which would be a historic calamity for the party.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 May 2026
-
Prior administration has proactively refunded taxpayers in past misfortune and calamity events, and/or major economic downturns.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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