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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
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That does not mean people place blind faith in AI or use it to displace human-to-human interactions; that would be disastrous.—
Yasmin Green,
Foreign Affairs,
7 July 2025 -
It was largely forgotten about until closer to release (December 2020 was launch, and its disastrous release was all anyone could talk about).—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
-
As a result, more children were vaccinated against devastating viruses, and more were lives saved.—
Jennifer Lotito,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Familiar Touch could figure in Lead Actress for Broadway star Kathleen Chalfant’s astounding and devastating turn as a woman slipping into dementia and sent to live out her days in a nursing home.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
At the tight end position, a turbulent year around him in 2024 didn’t allow for any consistency for Jake Ferguson, especially when factoring in his injuries.—
Nick Harris
July 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 July 2025
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Chapek’s short and turbulent reign ended in 2022 when Iger returned as CEO.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Most had gone to sleep by the time of the fatal brawl.—
Emma Seiwell,
New York Daily News,
5 July 2025
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An attack in Boulder, Colorado, in June and the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C., in May, are two recent incidents of anti-Jewish violence that have rocked communities in the U.S. Advertisement Read More: The Rise of Antisemitism and Political Violence in the U.S.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
5 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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