1
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
more than one natural catastrophe has threatened to destroy their farm over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in failure
something that has failed
the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe
Noun
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The floods have also left 11 people missing, inundated more than 116,000 houses and 5,000 hectares of crops, and damaged roads and railways, cutting off traffic and power in several areas, the government’s disaster agency said in a report.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
31 Oct. 2025 -
Desmond McKenzie, deputy chair of Jamaica's disaster risk management council, declined to share how many people have died, although authorities separately told AP at least four deaths occurred in southwest Jamaica.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The failures of that occupation were many, relating to security, governance, the economy, and provision of basic municipal services.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
-
My father had two superpowers that saved him in the face of all those failures—his talent for telling stories and gardening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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But tragedies like these also reflect the vulnerability of this refugee population – with the overall reduction in support causing a cascade effect for those already living on a knife edge of survival.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Mistakes, misfortunes, even tragedy, toxic secrets from the past—anything can happen, or may have happened.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This tale of a plausible viral apocalypse makes the case that true horrors can lurk just outside our view — and possibly within us all.—
Dennis Perkins,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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The situation devolves from there, in a sort of micro-zombie apocalypse.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Back in the mid-2000s, adjustable-rate loans contributed to a financial calamity.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
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Whereas much of the original play unfolds as a steady stream of callers to the Tesmans’ estate, DaCosta cleverly restages these various interpersonal calamities against the backdrop of a lavish party.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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