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
Opta’s supercomputer has stayed strong on the current projections for Leeds and Forest, with their respective victories last weekend suggesting that something cataclysmic would need to happen for them to get sucked back into a relegation fight.
—
Mark Carey, New York Times, 11 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
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
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
Mark Carey, New York Times, 11 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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
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Too much of it can be disastrous for the local ecosystems, leading to issues like algal blooms.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
The Lakers coach couldn’t even sub fast enough before Ayton’s two-handed frustration shove of Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell put a disappointing punctuation mark on a disastrous 19-second stretch for the Lakers starting center.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 May 2026
Adjective
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Cade Cunningham had a triple-double for Detroit (27 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), but had turnovers on three straight possessions late that were devastating.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
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As their relationship grows closer — and through devastating events — AJ is inspired to preserve their connection by drawing their story.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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Overall, it's been a turbulent year for cyber stocks.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
9 May 2026
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The sudden retirement comes after a turbulent year for the division in which the program’s full-time employees were laid off.—
O. Rose Broderick,
STAT,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Two Connecticut State Police troopers have been cleared in connection with a fatal shooting in Bozrah last August after the state Inspector General concluded that the armed woman who was shot was apparently trying to commit suicide by cop.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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The star died in 2009, at age 50, of cardiac arrest due to a fatal dose of propofol and other drugs.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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Lee said the incident is especially unfortunate, given the good work VCH does.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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This is unfortunate and, from your telling, needlessly aggressive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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Drought conditions in Georgia have worsened since the project was announced, and today, the whole state is experiencing severe to exceptional drought, with destructive wildfires burning in the southern part of Georgia.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
13 May 2026
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Derrick was charged with manufacturing explosive materials without a license, unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device and distributing information related to the manufacture of explosives.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
13 May 2026
Adjective
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In July 1997, parts of Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic were struck by catastrophic river flooding that left more than 100 people dead.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
14 May 2026
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Blake scrambles back to prevent the catastrophic, but the shot flies over the bar.—
Franklin Leonard,
Vanity Fair,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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