1
as in disasters
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 failures
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
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Recent Examples of catastrophes
In the book, Malahy detailed the numerous catastrophes that surrounded the months spent filming the movie, a loose adaptation of Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella, Heart of Darkness, in the Philippines.
—
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
For me, the experience is moving—like a glimmer of wild hope amid a conservation landscape dominated by the looming catastrophes to come of climate change.
—Eric J. Wallace, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
Actual catastrophes, like my illness, seemed to make her calmer.
—Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Often expressed in metaphor, geomyths preserve natural knowledge, understanding, and speculations about how landscapes were formed, as well as memories of catastrophes and their impact on human communities.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
The vibes in Fayetteville are horrendous, and consecutive late-game catastrophes against Ole Miss and Memphis weren’t even the worst part.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
The season 8 finale saw Bobby's family, friends, and colleagues healing in the aftermath, but the impact of his passing will no doubt color the catastrophes awaiting our heroes.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
And with right guard James Daniels and right tackle Austin Jackson sidelined by injuries, replacements Cole Strange and Larry Borom didn’t cause any catastrophes, though Borom wasn’t great.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Families that embrace this mindset see setbacks not as catastrophes but as tuition.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
For me, the experience is moving—like a glimmer of wild hope amid a conservation landscape dominated by the looming catastrophes to come of climate change.
—Eric J. Wallace, Outside, 24 Oct. 2025
Actual catastrophes, like my illness, seemed to make her calmer.
—Nicholas Thompson, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
Often expressed in metaphor, geomyths preserve natural knowledge, understanding, and speculations about how landscapes were formed, as well as memories of catastrophes and their impact on human communities.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
The vibes in Fayetteville are horrendous, and consecutive late-game catastrophes against Ole Miss and Memphis weren’t even the worst part.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2025
The season 8 finale saw Bobby's family, friends, and colleagues healing in the aftermath, but the impact of his passing will no doubt color the catastrophes awaiting our heroes.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Oct. 2025
And with right guard James Daniels and right tackle Austin Jackson sidelined by injuries, replacements Cole Strange and Larry Borom didn’t cause any catastrophes, though Borom wasn’t great.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
Families that embrace this mindset see setbacks not as catastrophes but as tuition.
—Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophes
Noun
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The findings offer a new perspective on one of history’s most famous military disasters.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Its experts worked hard to prepare for a variety of disasters, such as a freak weather event, a terrorist attack, or an airplane accidentally crashing into a reactor.—
Simon Shuster,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For decades, conservation organizations have been working to restore oyster populations in the bay, accruing data along the way to learn from successes and failures.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
31 Oct. 2025
-
But like all investments, there are risks, and Ng has had some spooky failures.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
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The audience for 2025’s reel of zombie apocalypses lives in a world shaped, in part, by Americans’ refusal to accept an aging Joe Biden’s ineligibility for President.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
9 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In some ways, Doug’s death signaled two tragedies, as Sage’s grand romance also came to a climax and an end over the course of Gen V’s season two finale.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
24 Oct. 2025
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Greek tragedies, Roman philosophy, African American literature, global masterpieces—these are not dusty relics.—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The piling on of hurdles, unforeseen challenges, and calamities is almost ridiculous.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
7 Oct. 2025
-
In the episode, eight of the nine ringers suffer calamities on the eve of the game which preclude their participation, with Sax held on comically-unfounded suspicion of committing approximately 600 murders in the New York City area.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catastrophes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophes. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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