1
as in floods
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disasters
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in upheavals
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
a social cataclysm that gave rise to a new world order
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysms
Noun
-
Deadly floods in Asia have devastated crops, crippling already fragile food production.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
11 Sep. 2025 -
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Some BDCs are dividend machines, others are disasters.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Some contend mythologising such events does a disservice to those who lost their lives in maritime disasters.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In an alternate timeline without COVID-19 and the cultural upheavals of 2020, Bennet might be the executive editor of The New York Times.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The United States and South Korea previously butted heads over how to handle the threat from North Korea, and there have been periodic public upheavals in Korean public opinion over tragic incidents involving American troops stationed on the peninsula.—
KURT M. CAMPBELL,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains.—
AZCentral.com,
AZCentral.com,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The valley floor hums with cowbells and the distant whir of paragliders circling above alpine meadows—as Trümmelbach’s glacial torrents roar through limestone caverns.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
24 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Families that embrace this mindset see setbacks not as catastrophes but as tuition.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
The story grabbed him thematically too, given the increasing devastation caused by wildfires and other environmental catastrophes.—
Tomris Laffly,
Time,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In July, a geologist warned that an ongoing cluster of smaller earthquakes near the Nicobar Islands could signal a volcanic eruption in the Andaman Sea, which raises fears of another tsunami.—
M. Rajshekhar,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The audience for 2025’s reel of zombie apocalypses lives in a world shaped, in part, by Americans’ refusal to accept an aging Joe Biden’s ineligibility for President.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The flag has been ordered to half-staff following major tragedies, such as the September 11 Attacks and the 2012 Newtown school shooting.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
11 Sep. 2025
-
But anyone who responds to preventable tragedies like this—tragedies that over time begin to erode the very fabric of our country—by refusing to face the problem of gun violence and crime head-on is missing the point.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysms. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share