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
Every play in the Century Cycle has its roots in the cataclysm of enslavement, but Joe Turner takes place with Reconstruction still close in the rearview.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
Only a species suffering from terminal main character syndrome would, when describing intimately human experiences like love, reach for the language of global cataclysm.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Likely caused by volcanic eruptions in present-day Siberia, the End-Permian cataclysm eventually wiped out around 57 percent of all biological life, including 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrates.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 26 Apr. 2026
Only a species suffering from terminal main character syndrome would, when describing intimately human experiences like love, reach for the language of global cataclysm.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
Likely caused by volcanic eruptions in present-day Siberia, the End-Permian cataclysm eventually wiped out around 57 percent of all biological life, including 70 percent of terrestrial vertebrates.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 9 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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Moments later, as his father was wrapped in a silver and gold emergency thermal blanket before being placed on a stretcher, Oun wiped away a flood of tears – a release of more than a week’s worth of agonizing suspense.—
Kocha Olarn,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
At one point, a flood swept in and cut off the roads back to Marrakesh.—
Isaac Butler,
New Yorker,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
The offense has been a disaster, the pitching staff has sustained some key injuries and the club has spent the first two months struggling to keep its head above water.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
The Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters maps and tracks every chemical disaster reported by the media on its website.—
Jason Henry,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
Of course, the speculative, the surreal, the fantastic has always lent itself to intense, often other-wordly experiences of grief and upheaval.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 May 2026
-
The Town Council experienced a wave of upheaval in 2025 amid executive actions, member dismissals, resignations and public criticism.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
My one-bedroom suite had a bathtub in the bedroom with water that flowed from the ceiling in a torrent—an unusual and noisy way to fill a bath tub, but certainly memorable.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
There’s plenty of chatter behind the scenes about more stories to come after the torrent of revelations since Platner announced his campaign.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Liaquat Ahamed has spent his career studying the moments when the world’s financial system breaks down — the bad bets, the collective delusions, and the geopolitical accidents that tip economies into catastrophe.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
2 June 2026
-
Richards had begun privately doubting the timeline—traveling to Paris and London for modeling work, looking around, and noticing an absence of catastrophe.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
The backstory Before there was a hotel, there was a revolution.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Said grew up in Iran in the decade and a half before the 1979 revolution and left for America shortly after it.—
Bozorgmehr Sharafedin,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Now, her portrayal of Zosia, the hive mind emissary sent to cajole Rhea Seehorn’s Carol into joining the world’s collective consciousness in Vince Gilligan’s Apple TV sci-fi tale of a happiness apocalypse, has stirred up Emmy buzz.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
31 May 2026
-
Check out this 1997 live TV version of Paranoid Android, which veers from lullaby to apocalypse within the space of a few minutes.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
But decades of wear, tear and deferred maintenance, plus the Loma Prieta earthquake, left the facility, known as the Plunge, facing demolition, until the community rallied to raise money for a $7 million renovation.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
28 May 2026
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Those who noticed the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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