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
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 stadium will need several alterations to accommodate the soccer team, including changes to the field, improvements on the HVAC system, flood and drainage repairs, and other structural fixes.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
-
This campaign cycle, Matsui touts her efforts to secure funding for flood protection, transportation projects and expanding healthcare access.—
Corey Schmidt
May 9,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
In the aftermath of the BAFTA Film Awards, the BBC created a new set of protocols, which now need to be unleashed without a hitch as the public broadcaster bids to avoid a repeat of the disaster.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
The United Nations estimates that, all told, thousands of people have died or will die as a result of the disaster.—
Andrea Thompson,
Scientific American,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The trio of titles making the rounds at Cannes are exemplars of the type of material Anonymous Content intends to pursue that this moment of great upheaval across film and TV.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
8 May 2026
-
The road to Little Simz’s last full-length album, 2025’s Lotus, was fraught with legal woes and interpersonal upheaval.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
8 May 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
-
Building-tech startup Kizuki collaborated with more than 20 companies, including ONOCOM to create the home, which meets strict building codes for seismic design in a country where earthquakes are common.—
Rebecca Cairns,
CNN Money,
7 May 2026
-
For example, whether a hurricane was a Category 1 storm versus a Category 4 storm, the magnitude of an earthquake or how much rain fell.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
7 May 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 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
