catastrophe

noun

kə-ˈta-strə-(ˌ)fē How to pronounce catastrophe (audio)
Definition of catastrophenext
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

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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

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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 Experts warn that catastrophes like this are likely to happen again because rising temperatures in the Himalayas, which are warming faster than the global average, destabilize the region's 60,000 glaciers and trigger more avalanches. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026 As in the case of the catastrophe in Nepal, the hazard itself can also change form. — Milad Haghani, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026 In this week's catastrophe, hundreds have lost their homes across the Himalayan region, and officials reported large-scale damage to critical infrastructure, including hydropower dams, roads, buildings and bridges in the region. — CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 In the past decade, Washington has started to wake up to this ongoing catastrophe. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catastrophe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe
  1. disaster
  2. failure
  3. tragedy
  4. apocalypse
  5. calamity
Noun
  • Displaced from their homes, hundreds of families resettled on the low-lying banks of the Trishuli river – only to face yet another horrific disaster on Wednesday.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Purchase and install emergency generators, integrate electrical systems, and conduct testing and preparedness activities so participating rural hospitals can maintain critical services during outages and disasters.
    — Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • The failures resulted in a divorce during the offseason and this exhibition game at Hard Rock Stadium was the first time the couple happened to be at the same place at the same time since the split.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • For five months, these players have underperformed, much to the chagrin of their front offices and the fans, who repeatedly boo their failures.
    — Dan Freedman, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • But the scale of the tragedy is becoming clear, with social media filled with countless pleas for help – including from the Nepali diaspora overseas.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Quite the tragedy because my brows are such a prominent part of my face.
    — Iman Balagam, Vogue, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • Why private credit may avoid a ‘crisis-apocalypse’ Blackstone’s scale attracts outsized scrutiny, and investors’ attempts to pull money from its private credit funds earlier this year made headline news.
    — Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Messages break down, signals decay, information rots; the stuff of everyday data dystopia and media apocalypse, but in Braxton’s hands, raw material to be shaped into something recombinant and strange.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • The ads’ claims of calamity are certain to be contested by the union backing the tax, SEIU United Healthworkers West.
    — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Indeed, conflict and calamities are major factors in financial repression.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of calamity

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cat (around)
catastrophe
catastrophes
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Cite this Entry

“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catastrophe

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catastrophe

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