variants
or cataclysmic
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a cataclysmal decision to plunge the nation into war
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a cataclysmal landslide that virtually wiped out the village
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
the French Revolution was one of the great cataclysmal events in modern history
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 cataclysmal
Amend and extend The situation in private credit has, so far, been a sort of slow-moving train wreck as opposed to a cataclysmic derailing.
—
Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
That world ended in cataclysmic war, the one that claimed the life of Alfred Louis Webb and so many others.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
While the Zizian ideology is extremist in nature, a less extreme version of the same fears surrounding the cataclysmic potential of AI are a common concern among AI alignment experts, machine-learning engineers, and even frontier AI companies.
—Daniel Boguslaw, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
The relative inertia in the January transfer market was very nearly a cataclysmic mistake, as was the installation of Igor Tudor.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Characteristically, Czernowin’s control of timbre, texture, and structure yields a kind of cataclysmic grandeur.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
By early June, ash and lava were escaping Pinatubo’s flanks, and an evacuation was ordered, just a few days before the cataclysmic hammer fell.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
The finale did keep the Grey’s tradition by kicking things off with a cataclysmic event when a major Seattle bridge collapsed.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Everyone experiences moments of existential despair, when one bad day or cataclysmic event sends you into a headspace that’s some combination of panic and self-reflection.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 3 May 2026
Tobias Burns, CNBC, 28 May 2026
That world ended in cataclysmic war, the one that claimed the life of Alfred Louis Webb and so many others.
—Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
While the Zizian ideology is extremist in nature, a less extreme version of the same fears surrounding the cataclysmic potential of AI are a common concern among AI alignment experts, machine-learning engineers, and even frontier AI companies.
—Daniel Boguslaw, ArsTechnica, 27 May 2026
The relative inertia in the January transfer market was very nearly a cataclysmic mistake, as was the installation of Igor Tudor.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 25 May 2026
Characteristically, Czernowin’s control of timbre, texture, and structure yields a kind of cataclysmic grandeur.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
By early June, ash and lava were escaping Pinatubo’s flanks, and an evacuation was ordered, just a few days before the cataclysmic hammer fell.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
The finale did keep the Grey’s tradition by kicking things off with a cataclysmic event when a major Seattle bridge collapsed.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 May 2026
Everyone experiences moments of existential despair, when one bad day or cataclysmic event sends you into a headspace that’s some combination of panic and self-reflection.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 3 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
-
Caitlin Clark was part of another disastrous collapse on Saturday night, as the Indiana Fever blew a double-digit lead to the New York Liberty.—
Jackson Thompson OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
At that pace, even a tiny micrometeoroid has the ability to impart a significant kinetic blow upon striking a spacecraft en route to the moon, with potentially disastrous results for the astronaut crew inside.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Femi was coming off a devastating loss against Brock Lesnar.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
Fewer, but more ‘devastating’ blazes That the world suffered fewer acres torched by wildfires in 2025 likely comes as little relief to the countries and cities that battled the infernos last year.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Getty Images The Philadelphia Phillies have spent the last several weeks playing like a club determined to erase the disappointment of a turbulent first half.—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
As the investigation progresses in this four-part docuseries, Stephen reveals the turbulent family dynamics that shaped his childhood, including his father Ron — a violent Vietnam War vet grappling with PTSD — and his mother, Margie, who divorced Ron in the '90s.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, Giulia and Lash Legend squared off in a fatal four-way match with a spot in the semifinals waiting for the winner.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
-
Underscoring the stakes for Louisville residents is the March fatal shooting of a 28-year-old woman named Katelyn Hall, who was experiencing a mental health crisis when police gunned her down in her own apartment.—
Topher Sanders,
ProPublica,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
There’s no question that this unfortunate cocktail of corruption, inefficiency, and simple incompetence is holding the country back.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
Unfortunately, going cold turkey off a central nervous system depressant like GHB has some pretty unfortunate side-effects.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Bawah Anambas Foundation works with local communities to combat destructive fishing techniques, focusing on reforestation and offering skills training.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
-
In distributing these weak linkages throughout a material like polystyrene, the mechanophores split in two as a crack begins to propagate, successfully redirecting the crack and dissipating the destructive energy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
In 2009, 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove her minivan in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway, resulting in a catastrophic collision with an SUV that killed herself, her daughter, three nieces, and three people in the other vehicle.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
-
Anywhere some of those choices turn out to be catastrophic mistakes.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
