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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in catastrophe
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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cataclysm
Furthermore, there are the nebulae that result from stellar cataclysms, or violent events that trigger a star or stellar remnant’s destruction.
—
Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
Perfect atmospheric mix for ferocious storm The atmospheric stew that gave birth to the ferocious cataclysm was literally a perfect storm.
—John O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Other stellar cataclysms can also produce stellar remnants.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
The effect can't be explained by lava temperatures alone, but rather a different event from the cataclysm.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
Perfect atmospheric mix for ferocious storm The atmospheric stew that gave birth to the ferocious cataclysm was literally a perfect storm.
—John O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
Other stellar cataclysms can also produce stellar remnants.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
The effect can't be explained by lava temperatures alone, but rather a different event from the cataclysm.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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Flooding was reported in several states, including Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, and flood watches were issued Wednesday in all of them.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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On Wednesday at 12:54 p.m. the NWS Newport/Morehead City NC issued a flood warning in effect until further notice for Jones County.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2025
Noun
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Expert in identity management, AI and open-source solutions. 2025 has ushered in a great deal of political upheaval and technological changes, with more coming at us almost daily.—
Kevin Korte,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
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And nowhere is this upheaval more apparent than in the turning tides of geopolitics.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 May 2025
Noun
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The company has been grappling with a historic cyberattack, higher-than-expected medical costs and a torrent of public blowback after the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
16 May 2025
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The Big Picture Want to catch up on the recent torrent of news?—
Rebecca Dzombak,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
Noun
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States like Florida could be forced to assume billions in costs for health care and disaster preparedness.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2025
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Melissa Bumstead, an environmental advocate and San Fernando Valley resident, urged the Board of Environmental Safety to consider factoring disaster debris into the hazardous waste plan.—
Tony Briscoe,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
Noun
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The play ushered in a revolution in modern drama not simply because Nora slammed the door on her husband.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
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Then came the home recording revolution with audio interfaces that could patch instruments and microphones into a computer for laying down tracks.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
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That was just one of the invigorating new ideas Danny Boyle brought to the zombie apocalypse genre with 28 Days Later in 2002.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Time,
16 May 2025
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Produced by the band and inspired by the 2017 thriller First Reformed, the LP finds La Dispute grappling with a looming apocalypse, the detriments of technological evolutions, and the illusion of self-control.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
13 May 2025
Noun
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Even temporary exemptions, like those issued after the 2023 earthquake, have had limited effect due to over-compliance by global banks and businesses.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
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Masudi,also helped coordinate disaster aid after the 2023 earthquake in the Herat Province, was one of the recipients of the Diana Award in 2024.—
Rana Wehbe Watson,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Noun
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And a drowning tragedy struck a TikTok influencer's family.—
Rebecca Morin,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
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Few legacies in American motorsports carry the same weight, and even fewer families are as synonymous with both triumph and tragedy.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 29 May. 2025.
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