variants
or cataclysmic
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a cataclysmal decision to plunge the nation into war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a cataclysmal landslide that virtually wiped out the village
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cataclysmal
So cataclysmic was their breakup that in all that time, Sam has never once listened to Mother Mary’s music.
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
The pink cloud at the center of the shot is the Homunculus Nebula, a vast glowing structure of interstellar dust and gas 7,500 light-years from Earth, according to NASA, created in the wake of a cataclysmic eruption of the double star system Eta Carinae.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Iran has pledged to retaliate against such facilities in Israel, meaning the entire Middle East may be on the brink of cataclysmic doom — with or without the terrifying prospect of nuclear strikes.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
Early-season injuries and off-ice drama have clearly played a role in how this turned out, and Foote wouldn’t be the first NHL bench boss to have a cataclysmic first season and then improve significantly thereafter (see Jared Bednar).
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The lush biodiversity of South America's rainforests is rooted in one of the most cataclysmic events that ever struck Earth.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Public resistance flared after the cataclysmic 1986 Chernobyl and 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdowns.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The result would be the cataclysmic breakup of a country of 240 million people.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Apr. 2026
The pink cloud at the center of the shot is the Homunculus Nebula, a vast glowing structure of interstellar dust and gas 7,500 light-years from Earth, according to NASA, created in the wake of a cataclysmic eruption of the double star system Eta Carinae.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Iran has pledged to retaliate against such facilities in Israel, meaning the entire Middle East may be on the brink of cataclysmic doom — with or without the terrifying prospect of nuclear strikes.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 3 Apr. 2026
Early-season injuries and off-ice drama have clearly played a role in how this turned out, and Foote wouldn’t be the first NHL bench boss to have a cataclysmic first season and then improve significantly thereafter (see Jared Bednar).
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2026
In its many guises, idolatry has survived, despite regular and often cataclysmic proof of its dangers, for centuries and many people will consider a much-larger-than-life golden statue of a president to be perfectly splendid.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
The lush biodiversity of South America's rainforests is rooted in one of the most cataclysmic events that ever struck Earth.
—Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Public resistance flared after the cataclysmic 1986 Chernobyl and 2011 Fukushima nuclear meltdowns.
—ABC News, 25 Mar. 2026
The result would be the cataclysmic breakup of a country of 240 million people.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
-
After last year’s disastrous Eaton fire, Southern California Edison executives vowed to be transparent about what caused the inferno that killed at least 19 people and left thousands of families homeless in Altadena.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Sturm then gave Swayman the mercy pull, which frankly could have happened after the disastrous first.—
Stephen Conroy,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, the summer peaks of COVID in 2024 and 2025 were worse than their respective winter peaks, according to the California Department of Public Health — a stark departure from the earlier years of the pandemic, when winter surges ripped through California with devastating regularity.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
In a statement on social media, the elderly woman’s granddaughter, Zoe Cooper, announced the devastating news.—
Sam Gillette,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Smoothing turbulent waters and reminding both sides about their common bonds were what those trips were all about.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
News of the lawsuit comes at a turbulent time for the Department of Human Services.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, is scheduled to received a lethal injection for his conviction in the fatal beating and choking of his 13-year-old niece.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI’s ChatGPT, due to concerns that the platform aided the suspect accused of carrying out a fatal school shooting in the state.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even before the president set off this unfortunate round of gerrymandering, Democratic states such as New York and Illinois were already heavily gerrymandered.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
-
He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
During the two hours of debate in the House on Tuesday, the bill’s supporters declared that income tax is the most destructive tax that penalizes productivity.—
Jack Harvel,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Utility equipment is believed to have sparked some of the deadliest and most destructive fires in recent years.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In a department built to respond to catastrophic threats, employees have been reduced to bartering for office supplies.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
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Her daughter, who suffered a catastrophic brain injury as a child, requires around-the-clock care, including a ventilator, feeding tube and seizure monitoring — which Root largely manages at home.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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