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 catastrophe
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
Unlike during the pandemic, a cataclysm that played no favorites, the trade war is fast becoming a consumer marketing minefield.
—
Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
The first five mass extinctions were triggered by cataclysms such as super volcano eruptions and the impact of a massive asteroid.
—Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Leftovers, which ran for four seasons on three seasons, followed the aftermath of a global cataclysm that results in the unexplained disappearance of 140 million people, finds Kevin (Theroux), a police officer and father, relocated to a small Texas town from Mapleton, New York.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 2 June 2025
Some plants are quiet survivors, outlasting cataclysms that reshaped the planet itself.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Greg Petro, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
The first five mass extinctions were triggered by cataclysms such as super volcano eruptions and the impact of a massive asteroid.
—Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Leftovers, which ran for four seasons on three seasons, followed the aftermath of a global cataclysm that results in the unexplained disappearance of 140 million people, finds Kevin (Theroux), a police officer and father, relocated to a small Texas town from Mapleton, New York.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 2 June 2025
Some plants are quiet survivors, outlasting cataclysms that reshaped the planet itself.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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Virtually every major medical association denounces it as junk science, and a flood of studies has warned of the dangers.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Denying disaster aid to states and cities that stand for human rights could cost lives after hurricanes, floods, and wildfires.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Constant procedural upheaval and backlogs are poison.—
Scott White,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
King took over in June as the district was confronting a $734 million budget crisis in the wake of leadership upheaval.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The torrent of woe-is-me stories out of Harvard never ends.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
-
Authorities discharged floodwater from a reservoir in Miyun on Monday after its maximum flood peak flow reached a record high of 6,550 cubic meters per second, to make space for incoming torrents, Xinhua reported.—
Nectar Gan,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
During times of year when there are fewer weather disasters, the agency receives fewer calls and can choose to spend less money staffing call centers.—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
7 Aug. 2025
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When a data disaster occurs, many IT professionals and system administrators focus on selecting powerful data recovery software or hiring professional services.—
Chongwei Chen,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
These are valuable, incremental steps—not revolutions.—
Bill Rokos,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Despite this revolution, some best practices still hold true for landing a high-paying gig.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
In End Times Fun, the hour spirals itself up into a Book of Revelations–style vision of spectacular, epic, fire-and-brimstone apocalypse.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
1 Aug. 2025
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Barring a zombie apocalypse, the TrailSport has more off-road capability than any CR-V owner will ever need.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
The bitcoin price has fallen under $112,000 per bitcoin this last week, down from a peak of $123,000 in July (though traders are bracing for a fresh BlackRock earthquake).—
Billy Bambrough,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Anyone who saw the first go-round will know what a rumbling earthquake felt only by the four ladies portends.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But my instinct tells me that Arne Slot and his players will develop an even closer bond in the wake of the Jota tragedy and, with the help of some outstanding signings, retain the title.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 Aug. 2025
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The council additionally issued a two-day state of mourning in response to the tragedy, per a statement shared on Aug. 9.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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