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 top prize there was awarded to The Lake, directed by Abby Ellis, a film exploring the environmental catastrophe posed by the rapidly shrinking Great Salt Lake in Utah. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026 Mahomes’ rapid recovery from last year’s ACL/LCL catastrophe is great news for Kansas City fans and the NFL’s TV/streaming partners, as he and the Chiefs are slated to pop up in as many as 12 national windows before the playoffs arrive. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026 Planning for a theoretical catastrophe can lead clients in unexpected directions. — Megan Buerger, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026 Israel responded with a military offensive that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip according to local health authorities, left the territory in ruins and sparked an ongoing humanitarian catastrophe. — Arkansas Online, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catastrophe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe
  1. disaster
  2. failure
  3. tragedy
  4. apocalypse
  5. calamity
Noun
  • Faizi said ambulances and disaster management personnel arrived from a nearby facility within five minutes of being alerted.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
  • For example, largely because of the environmental disaster that is Weikuang Dam, the country doesn’t permit the development or operation of stand-alone monazite mines—that is, mines where nothing is mined except monazite ore.
    — Glenn Zorpette, IEEE Spectrum, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of disaster
Noun
  • The question confronting Israel and its international partners is not simply whether money should flow into Gaza, but also who controls it—and whether the next arrangement will avoid the failures of the last.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Special-teams breakdowns — including a 70-yard kickoff return and two field-goal failures — played a big role in the Rams’ 37-34 overtime loss to Buffalo.
    — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • There’s a slickness to the carnage that rubs uncomfortably against the film’s humanist ethos, rendering artificial (for all Shen Teng’s trembling and mouth-contorting labors) the horrific tragedies that befall its characters.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • After Monday’s tragedy prompted Six Flags Over Georgia to evacuate guests, a spokesperson said the amusement park will reopen Friday.
    — Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • The new series picks up after Korra’s actions, which inadvertently lead to an apocalypse that forces humanity to take refuge in the titular Havens, all of which have visually distinct identities.
    — Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In addition, there's a killer-looking dark apocalypse comedy and a docuseries about one of the most famous boxers of all time.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • The protagonist becomes a wise-guy version of Benjamin’s Angel of History, watching calamities accumulate before his eyes.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The toxic loans were also packaged and peddled around the world to banks everywhere, resulting in a calamity.
    — Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 25 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catastrophe

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catastrophe

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