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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2
as in failure
something that has failed the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it

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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 The house and its owners’ story remains one of the few bright spots in a catastrophe whose scale is still growing. — Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026 But climate change's role in melting the glacier and causing the catastrophe is unclear. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026 The men gathered saw a nefarious opportunity and turned catastrophe into an enormous windfall. — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026 Scientists trace the catastrophe to a Himalayan bedrock and glacier collapse that unleashed a torrent of ice, rock and water, obliterating hydropower projects, roads and villages across the high border region. — Shristi Kafle, Los Angeles Times, 31 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
  • In moments, the towers’ dazzling height had transformed from the proud punctuation of this country’s signature skyline into a disaster-movie nightmare.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Bills finished the Toronto series with a 1-5 record, and the experiment was viewed as a disaster.
    — Joe Kinsey OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • Their failure to receive one may be attributed to their having vague symptoms, such as a general feeling of malaise, weakness, or fluctuating muscle pain.
    — Jerome Groopman, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Compounding the issue was UM’s failure to get to the quarterback.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • America could have responded to that tragedy by creating a kinder world, one that truly honors the dead.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Twenty-five years later, the tournament will pause to remember the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks.
    — Lukas Weese, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • Those forecasts add hope for office workers after top AI leaders previously signaled a jobs apocalypse was imminent.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • Fearful of another 9/11-style calamity, the Bush team exaggerated the threat posed by Hussein, triggering what would become an eight-year military quagmire.
    — Michael E. Neagle, Hartford Courant, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Budget Director Ray Baker said Miami-Dade should have about $500 million in its rainy-day fund, but the county has less than $90 million available to tap after a calamity like a hurricane.
    — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catastrophe

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catastrophe

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