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
Though not as big or catastrophic as the asteroid theorized to have wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, Apophis would cause widespread destruction up to several hundred kilometers from its impact site.
—
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Through skilled diplomacy, a catastrophic war was avoided.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
But following his catastrophic trip to Tanzania, McCann’s problems now run much deeper than his crypto fortunes.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Barring another catastrophic injury, Acuña could easily demand an average annual value of, say, $35 million or $40 million on the free market.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026
In the event of a Chinese invasion, the global fight for control of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry would have potentially catastrophic consequences internationally.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
The legislation, known as the ALERT Act, would require aircraft operating in busy or controlled airspace to use systems that help pilots track nearby planes and helicopters more precisely — a capability federal safety officials have long said could prevent catastrophic collisions.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
The reader who pauses for breath, after this recitation of horrors, is soon rewarded by being plunged into a yet more catastrophic mire.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The state imposed its first-ever statewide water restrictions and faced catastrophic wildfires, including the Valley Fire, which destroyed nearly 2,000 structures—events that drove widespread losses and disrupted insurance markets.
—Scott Wiener, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2026
Through skilled diplomacy, a catastrophic war was avoided.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2026
But following his catastrophic trip to Tanzania, McCann’s problems now run much deeper than his crypto fortunes.
—Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
Barring another catastrophic injury, Acuña could easily demand an average annual value of, say, $35 million or $40 million on the free market.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 15 Apr. 2026
In the event of a Chinese invasion, the global fight for control of Taiwan’s semiconductor industry would have potentially catastrophic consequences internationally.
—Michelle Kuo, The Dial, 14 Apr. 2026
The legislation, known as the ALERT Act, would require aircraft operating in busy or controlled airspace to use systems that help pilots track nearby planes and helicopters more precisely — a capability federal safety officials have long said could prevent catastrophic collisions.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
The reader who pauses for breath, after this recitation of horrors, is soon rewarded by being plunged into a yet more catastrophic mire.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The state imposed its first-ever statewide water restrictions and faced catastrophic wildfires, including the Valley Fire, which destroyed nearly 2,000 structures—events that drove widespread losses and disrupted insurance markets.
—Scott Wiener, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophic
Adjective
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Many similar blunders have been recorded in years past, including arguably the worst example, a disastrous decision three decades ago to overhaul how electricity was produced, distributed and priced.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2026
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This is disastrous and very concerning for the future of San Diego, which is going to lose jobs at an unparalleled pace given the presence of artificial intelligence.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, is scheduled to received a lethal injection for his conviction in the fatal beating and choking of his 13-year-old niece.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier on Tuesday announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI’s ChatGPT, due to concerns that the platform aided the suspect accused of carrying out a fatal school shooting in the state.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Mikey never ended up doing anything beyond flirting, but his unfortunate turn of phrase was all Sydney needed to begin exploring her options in the villa.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The Charlotte Hornets received an unfortunate reminder Friday night in their last home game of the regular season.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catastrophic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophic. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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