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
Jamie, after Plastic Beach, changed his life quite dramatically and moved to France, and that was quite a cataclysm in our relationship at the time.
—
Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
The series, based on a popular video-game franchise, takes place in an alternate reality in which World War II yielded a retro-futuristic society thriving on rapid technological development—that is, until a nuclear cataclysm results in civilization’s collapse.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
The most violent volcanic cataclysm ever seen in our solar system has been witnessed on Jupiter’s moon Io by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, with simultaneous eruptions covering an enormous 40,400 square miles (65,000 square kilometers).
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Perhaps a cataclysm—an earthquake, a volcanic eruption—had driven those people away.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2026
The series, based on a popular video-game franchise, takes place in an alternate reality in which World War II yielded a retro-futuristic society thriving on rapid technological development—that is, until a nuclear cataclysm results in civilization’s collapse.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Feb. 2026
The most violent volcanic cataclysm ever seen in our solar system has been witnessed on Jupiter’s moon Io by NASA’s Juno spacecraft, with simultaneous eruptions covering an enormous 40,400 square miles (65,000 square kilometers).
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Perhaps a cataclysm—an earthquake, a volcanic eruption—had driven those people away.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
Checchi, in particular, barraged voters with an unrelenting flood of ads.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Domestic migration into the Sun Belt states is declining, due in part to off-the-chart heat waves, devastating storms, once-in-a-century floods, and year-round fire seasons — along with the consequential costs, such as unaffordable homeowners’ insurance and destroyed livelihoods.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Hefty extra wattage is apparently needed to keep the Mar-a-Lago lights on in the event of an unforeseen disaster such as a war, or flying sports court glass, or a late ketchup delivery.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Only instead of the flood of a players’ strike, this time the disaster will come cloaked in the fire of an owners’ lockout.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the wake of Republican defeats in a string of special elections − including a Democratic victory in the Florida state house race to represent the president's home district − the record-setting protests were one more omen of upheaval ahead in November's midterm elections.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
-
That gave Schiaparelli’s clothing a sense of relevance in pre-World War II Europe’s cultural upheaval and aesthetically traditionalist Paris — a methodology that Roseberry has picked up.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Following a torrent of criticism, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would try to partially open the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the coming days.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
What followed was a torrent of money.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Fidel Castro led Cuba for nearly five decades after the communist revolution in 1959, nationalizing industry on the island and bringing Havana close to the then-Soviet Union before handing power to his brother, Raúl Castro.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The move away from the revolution’s traditional red toward softer colors signals not a rupture, but a recalibration.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
And while many shudder at the idea of an AI job apocalypse, others are leveraging the technology to answer complex questions.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Searches for the phrase job apocalypse are spiking.—
Annie Lowrey,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
An extremely large instance of calving can even shake the ground, causing a glacial earthquake, also known as a cryoseism or icequake.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The hawks have comforted themselves with the thought that such a calamity won’t occur.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
-
For years at a time, Jessie Krebs has lived on the edge — of civilization, of personal safety, and of calamity.—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
