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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The journalists who rushed to the scene managed to jot down the names of about a dozen—the VIPs (there were three members of parliament on the train that day, which was a factor in the disaster) and a couple of servants.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025 -
As a train barrels toward her near the final moments of the video, Perry spots a daisy on the tracks — seemingly a nod to her daughter — and dodges disaster.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The failures of that occupation were many, relating to security, governance, the economy, and provision of basic municipal services.—
Ben Wedeman,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
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My father had two superpowers that saved him in the face of all those failures—his talent for telling stories and gardening.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Ege didn’t know it at the time, but the tragedy that happened to Musyoka has been playing out across the nation as pedestrian deaths near a four-decade high.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Burma’s plight is not just a domestic tragedy but echoes across the globe.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Carol, a reclusive and disgruntled bestselling romantasy author, exhorts her reticent audience of five immune English speakers to reclaim human agency against the milquetoast, obsequious blob and join her in a quest to reverse the happiness apocalypse.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
8 Nov. 2025
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Ilana presents herself as a stout-hearted reformer who’s being targeted by fascistic insurgents but is secretly evil enough to engineer an apocalypse.—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Back in the mid-2000s, adjustable-rate loans contributed to a financial calamity.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
4 Nov. 2025
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Whereas much of the original play unfolds as a steady stream of callers to the Tesmans’ estate, DaCosta cleverly restages these various interpersonal calamities against the backdrop of a lavish party.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
28 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
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