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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catastrophes
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
The story grabbed him thematically too, given the increasing devastation caused by wildfires and other environmental catastrophes.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Sagan described another major pathway to unintended nuclear catastrophes.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The organization then uses those precogs — and Luke is one of them — to prevent global catastrophes at the expense of children's lives.
—EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The research shows that pandemics aren’t unique catastrophes from the bygone era but recurring biological events tied to human gathering, movement, and environmental shifts.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
But major catastrophes—like Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in Central Texas that occurred this July—have shown that when the unimaginable happens, no state can face it alone.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
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
The story grabbed him thematically too, given the increasing devastation caused by wildfires and other environmental catastrophes.
—Tomris Laffly, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Sagan described another major pathway to unintended nuclear catastrophes.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2025
The organization then uses those precogs — and Luke is one of them — to prevent global catastrophes at the expense of children's lives.
—EW.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The research shows that pandemics aren’t unique catastrophes from the bygone era but recurring biological events tied to human gathering, movement, and environmental shifts.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2025
But major catastrophes—like Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in Central Texas that occurred this July—have shown that when the unimaginable happens, no state can face it alone.
—Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophes
Noun
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The organization focuses on the big disasters that often grip the headlines, such as wildfires, floods, and hurricanes – but also offers information about preparing for winter storms, tsunamis, tornados, lightning, hail and extreme heat.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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The difference, however, is that in wealthier nations, these kinds of disasters often trigger investment in storm drains, soil stabilization or relocation.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Recently, researchers in China created two new AI systems to improve the safety and efficiency of fusion energy experiments by predicting plasma failures with extreme accuracy.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Overproduction comes from forecasting failures or execution mistakes, said Chan, adding that AI is not just about better demand predictions, but helping businesses make real-time decisions with accuracy.—
Lauren Parker,
Sourcing Journal,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
-
In response to recurring tragedies, the Stop Tip-overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth (STURDY) Act was signed into law in 2022.—
News Editor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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The classical tragedies were drawn from Greek mythology and legend, right?—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
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These calamities drastically reduce the genetic diversity in a group.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catastrophes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophes. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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