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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cataclysm
These cataclysms locked inside the Delaware Basin more than 46 billion barrels of technically recoverable crude oil, and 281 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
—
Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Literary Hub, 30 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
The most recent cycle brought us a flood of memecoins, which grew the universe of tokens from 20,000 in 2022 to over 27 million today, and now represent as much as 60%+ of daily application revenue on Solana.—
Pete Najarian,
Fortune,
7 Dec. 2025
-
Education reporter Rachel Wegner focused on how natural disasters, from floods and tornadoes to others that have hit Tennessee, have affected kids and schooling.—
Rosalind Bowling,
Nashville Tennessean,
6 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The town had hired consultants to study the feasibility of a complex dike system, hopefully to save it from the next flood disaster.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
12 Dec. 2025
-
Communities with limited housing options before disasters become even more constrained afterward.—
Ivis Garcia,
Fortune,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Even the uninitiated will be beguiled, though, by the director’s meditative style, his skillful portrait of industrial upheaval and decay, and the sense of wistfulness driving Tao’s lovely performance.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Despite the upheaval, Apple is positioning these changes as strategic rather than reactive.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
8 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The people calling them to collect often endure a torrent of verbal abuse and threats of violence.—
Lily Boyce,
New York Times,
12 June 2026
-
On Saturday, nine people were shot in a torrent of bullets in the wee hours of the morning at a party on Troost Avenue.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
Could a jobs apocalypse be coming?—
Kamal Ahmed,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
-
The latest camper from Mammoth Overland takes two of the brand's most creative launches of the recent past and fuses them together into a prepper-grade wilderness and apocalypse survival safe room built for immediate escape.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
And yet, most businesses cannot afford to sit out the AI revolution.—
Alexei Oreskovic,
Fortune,
16 June 2026
-
That was actually the settlement of a long-term dispute over arms Iran bought from the US before the Islamic revolution.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
Even when calamities are more intimate, such as being unemployed for a long period of time, there is a higher risk of smoking, likely due to the anxiety.—
Julia Craven,
Allure,
9 June 2026
-
Baltimore held a 4-2 lead with two outs after the Clement calamity.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
The installation is inspired by the original Wind Phone, created in Japan by garden designer Itaru Sasaki following the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.—
Itay Hod,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
Researchers monitor pressure daily to ensure the caverns remain structurally sound, and earthquakes are rare in the Gulf Coast region.—
Cody Cottier,
Scientific American,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
