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
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Since the Civil War, relief efforts had taken her to wars, floods, fires, famines, cyclones, and earthquakes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025 -
Representatives from Camp Mystic and others involved in the floods will be invited to testify, Patrick said, though a timeline on the investigation was not disclosed.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Corps website highlights the group's involvement in response to flooding and hurricane disasters in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida, as well as rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires this year.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Oct. 2025
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Researchers expect millions of Americans to relocate from properties facing increasing risks of flood, fire and other kinds of disasters in the years ahead.—
Debolina Banerjee,
The Conversation,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Details in geomyths can shed light on how and when great geological upheavals occurred around the globe, and how humans responded to them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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The Industry Has Handled Huge Shifts Before When discussion turned to AI, Pearn recalled earlier upheavals.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The death of Banda Amidst the torrents, Arisu follows the sound of Usagi’s voice, as they are both swept towards a watery vortex that leads to the world of the dead.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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The bulls got a dovish turn from the Federal Reserve without much noticeable slowing in growth, with stock indexes at a record, credit markets blissfully sedate and capital investments running in torrents into the economy.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
20 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The vibes in Fayetteville are horrendous, and consecutive late-game catastrophes against Ole Miss and Memphis weren’t even the worst part.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
9 Oct. 2025
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The season 8 finale saw Bobby's family, friends, and colleagues healing in the aftermath, but the impact of his passing will no doubt color the catastrophes awaiting our heroes.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Øresund Bridge is designed to withstand ship collisions, aircraft impacts, earthquakes, and high winds.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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The cycle marches on, unaware of, though not untouched by, the joys and the tragedies of the human realm.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
15 Oct. 2025
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The tragedies witnessed over the past two years must serve as an urgent reminder that future generations deserve better than the failures of the past.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cataclysms.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysms. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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