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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe
Noun
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Such lack of vision — or ample self-delusion — propelled Americans to disaster in Iraq, even with some competent advisers in the White House.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026 -
Leaving Polis off the guest list of a recent governors’ dinner at the White House was the latest slap in the face of many that include rescinded federal grants, a vetoed water bill, rejected disaster fund requests, and the loss of two federal agencies.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The Asian Film Awards, an anchor event of Hong Kong’s Entertainment Expo, which usually takes place on the eve of Filmart, has canceled the main awards ceremony, citing the need to be low-key following last year’s Tai Po fire tragedy.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
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And when the fast-moving vehicles collide, tragedy can ensue.—
Alissa Gary,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
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As friendships between lonely men so often do, Gary and Ennis start to game out what their plans would be if there ever were a zombie apocalypse.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
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Khosla warned the impending AI jobs apocalypse will upend the economy by the end of the decade, and tech could soon replace some 80% of jobs, including some of the roles that have traditionally been associated with years of training or education.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Kings promoted Jim Hiller instead of Sturm two years ago, and calamity ensued.—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
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There were intervening calamities that Walz, Ellison and Omar had nothing to do with, COVID-19 and the death of George Floyd.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
7 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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