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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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
  1. disaster
  2. failure
  3. tragedy
  4. apocalypse
  5. calamity
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
  • Any actions against those responsible for the structural failure are pending the results of the ongoing investigation, the Department of Buildings said earlier this week.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The notion of remaining in your childhood home well into your adult years carries an enduring stigma, suggesting a failure to launch.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 11 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

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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 15 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catastrophe

Nglish: Translation of catastrophe for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catastrophe

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