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
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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
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Recent Examples of cataclysms
In the early 2000s, scientists first saw these conspicuous cataclysms, which can shine much longer and be more than 10 times brighter than a normal supernova.
—
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Due to a combination of factors, including radiation from the shining stars, stellar cataclysms, and virialization effects, the remnant normal matter then gets ejected, with either very few or possibly even no stars existing where the main galactic body normally is.
—Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
What has a snail to hope for, faced with so many potential cataclysms?
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
At the universe's grandest scales, galaxy clusters collide in slow-motion cataclysms, leaving behind immense, ghostly arcs — vast ribbons of diffuse radio emissions that can stretch across millions of light-years.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 11 Mar. 2026
Due to a combination of factors, including radiation from the shining stars, stellar cataclysms, and virialization effects, the remnant normal matter then gets ejected, with either very few or possibly even no stars existing where the main galactic body normally is.
—Big Think, 3 Mar. 2026
What has a snail to hope for, faced with so many potential cataclysms?
—Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
At the universe's grandest scales, galaxy clusters collide in slow-motion cataclysms, leaving behind immense, ghostly arcs — vast ribbons of diffuse radio emissions that can stretch across millions of light-years.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysms
Noun
-
When heavy rain occurs, there is a potential for flooding, particularly in areas that are low-lying or prone to floods.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The new Sky View panoramic roof—a single unbroken pane of glass running from the B-pillar all the way to the rear—floods the cabin with light and creates a sense of openness.—
Sean Evans,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Oil is lighter than water — that’s why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Priority is given to people living in counties that have been impacted by disasters, and any remaining funds could go to people in other counties.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
At a planning board meeting in January, an opponent of One Boca cited the upheavals of the last century and asked how anyone could approve a long-term plan given the uncertainty the next hundred years may bring.—
Jason Haber,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Mar. 2026
-
So Old So Young by Grant Ginder Over twenty years and five parties, six college friends reunite again and again, believing their bond will outlast the upheavals of adulthood.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Lightning made the sky as bright as day, the thunder was a continuous crash, and torrents of rain poured down.—
Doris DeCleene,
Outdoor Life,
25 Feb. 2026
-
According to experts, these homes encroach on a path that has carried torrents of water for centuries during periods of heavy rains.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Not everyone can be Francis Ford Coppola, funding his own feverish catastrophes by selling off one of his vineyards.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Kennedy has made no bones about his misplaced skepticism of mRNA vaccines, pinging off the proliferating conspiracies around the COVID vaccines — incredible innovations that saved countless lives during one of the worst global catastrophes in recent memory.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The Arabian and Eurasian plates continue to move toward each other at around 20 millimeters a year, sometimes triggering deadly earthquakes.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There were intervening calamities that Walz, Ellison and Omar had nothing to do with, COVID-19 and the death of George Floyd.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
-
The apocalypse Rosi presents is not just the legendary one that destroyed the ancient Roman town of the film’s title but an ongoing one that encompasses the calamities of our modern era as well as the rejuvenation that sometimes accompanies destruction.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysms. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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