as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a catastrophic tornado destroyed the hamlet's only house of worship
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Recent Examples of catastrophic
Last year, State Farm paid $15 billion in claims to customers who suffered catastrophic losses, including about $5 billion to homeowners affected by the devastating Southern California wildfires in January 2025, Schell said.
—
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead of responding to catastrophic illness, clinicians can now recognize disease early — fundamentally changing its course.
—Jia Shen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.
—Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
The consequences of such an error, in the context of a computation where there is no cross-checking in place, can range from unnoticeable to catastrophic.
—Big Think, 24 Feb. 2026
There is potential for current or planned actions in orbit to cause serious degradation of the orbital environment or lead to catastrophic outcomes, creating the urgent need to find better ways to quantify stress on the orbital environment.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Francesca Chambers One member of the president’s Cabinet will be ordered to skip tonight’s address and spend it in an undisclosed location in the unlikely event of a catastrophic attack on the Capitol Complex.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
After ruling for more than 25 years, Aegon died, along with Dunk, during a catastrophic fire at the Targaryen vacation palace of Summerhall in what’s suggested to be a ritual to revive dragon eggs gone horribly wrong.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Each new species discovered from this era adds another piece to a puzzle about what the world looked like in the final stretch before that catastrophic turning point.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
Instead of responding to catastrophic illness, clinicians can now recognize disease early — fundamentally changing its course.
—Jia Shen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026
Saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.
—Time Staff, Time, 25 Feb. 2026
The consequences of such an error, in the context of a computation where there is no cross-checking in place, can range from unnoticeable to catastrophic.
—Big Think, 24 Feb. 2026
There is potential for current or planned actions in orbit to cause serious degradation of the orbital environment or lead to catastrophic outcomes, creating the urgent need to find better ways to quantify stress on the orbital environment.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Francesca Chambers One member of the president’s Cabinet will be ordered to skip tonight’s address and spend it in an undisclosed location in the unlikely event of a catastrophic attack on the Capitol Complex.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
After ruling for more than 25 years, Aegon died, along with Dunk, during a catastrophic fire at the Targaryen vacation palace of Summerhall in what’s suggested to be a ritual to revive dragon eggs gone horribly wrong.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
Each new species discovered from this era adds another piece to a puzzle about what the world looked like in the final stretch before that catastrophic turning point.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophic
Adjective
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This embarrassment of riches not only elevated the TV spectacle, but also the atmosphere in the Co-op Live Arena (which has successfully bounced back from its disastrous opening in 2024).—
Mark Sutherland,
Variety,
1 Mar. 2026
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The general manager was a very unpopular man in Denver following a couple of massive misfires — the disastrous hiring of Nathaniel Hackett and the trade and massive extension for Wilson.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
28 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The 41-year-old had pleaded guilty to causing the death of student Yabin Tamang by dangerous driving in December, and a further count of dangerous driving prior to the fatal collision.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
3 Mar. 2026
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His identity was not being released yet, and the sheriff's office said the Marine Patrol is conducting a fatal vessel accident investigation.—
Jose Fabian,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The bizarre, unfortunate name mix-up was revealed in its full extent this week at the trial of Colin Gray, the father of the school shooter, on charges of murder and manslaughter.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
28 Feb. 2026
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Coach Erik Spoelstra said Powell was deemed fit to play ahead of the game, with the speed of 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey creating an unfortunate reaction.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catastrophic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophic. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.
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