CATASTROPHE Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

catastrophe

noun

kə-ˈta-strə-(ˌ)fē

Definition of catastrophe

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in failure

something that has failed the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of catastrophe Healthcare registers the effects of climate catastrophes, ecosystem failures and food shortages that also fuel political and social crises. — Ginny Whitelaw, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Emergency specialists warn that Venezuela lacks the institutional capacity and disaster-management infrastructure typically needed to handle a catastrophe of this scale, particularly amid years of economic collapse and institutional erosion. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026 Besides an economic lifeline, tatreez has provided her with a bridge to the land her parents fled during the 1948 mass displacement that Palestinians call their Nakba, or catastrophe. — ABC News, 30 June 2026 For many in La Guaira, the current devastation brings back traumatic memories of the previous catastrophe. — Ted Scouten, CBS News, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for catastrophe

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe

Noun

Modern networks are more resilient in disasters, an AT&T spokesman said, because they can be restored faster and are less vulnerable to damage and copper theft.

— Jenny Jarvie Follow, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Burnham launched a government inquiry that found police failures, not the victims themselves, were responsible for the disaster.

— Lauren Frayer, NPR, 9 July 2026

Definition of disaster

Noun

According to Castillo, one of the most significant failures has been the tendency to treat many squatter complaints as civil disputes rather than criminal investigations.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Spence also appears to be absorbing the blame for broader failures, with Thomas Tuchel’s touchline frustrations obvious and — for a player still establishing himself at this level — that scrutiny is unlikely to help.

— Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of failure

Noun

In a statement Wednesday evening, DeKalb CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson called the death a tragedy and said the county remains committed to transparency and integrity.

— Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 9 July 2026
With two children dying so far this summer after being left inside cars during South Florida’s sweltering heat season, experts are urging parents and other caregivers to take a series of steps to prevent tragedies.

— David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026

Definition of tragedy

Noun

The same year, another, longer-running TV version focused on the story of survivors after an alien apocalypse that had wiped out most of the Earth's population.

— Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 July 2026
Closing the Manhattan Bridge, diverting traffic, and managing the safety of staging a zombie apocalypse downtown required the cooperation and manpower of multiple agencies with their own sets of pressing priorities and responsibilities.

— Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 June 2026

Definition of apocalypse

Noun

The operation was a testament to the growing effectiveness of a multinational collection of urban search-and-rescue squads — known as USAR — that have become ubiquitous life-savers at epicenters of calamity across the globe.

— Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
There have been few comments about improvements or calamities, other than the usual notes that battery life was reduced immediately after installation, which is commonplace.

— David Phelan, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of calamity

Browse Nearby Words

cat (around)

catastrophe

catastrophes

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“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of catastrophe

noun

Example Sentences

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