variants
also débâcle
1
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the financial debacle that was the stock market crash of 1929
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2
as in loser
something that has failed
the movie, which some had predicted would be a blockbuster, turned out to be the summer's biggest debacle at the multiplexes
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of debacle
The pivot to health care had been going swimmingly until the 2021 breathing machine debacle.
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Byphil Wahba, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024
The resulting correction parallels the deflation of Japan’s real estate bubble in the 1990s and the American housing and credit derivative debacle in 2008.
—Drew Bernstein, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Somewhere in the middle, President Biden dropped out of the race after being pushed aside by fellow Democrats following his debate debacle — a group that included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to George Clooney.
—Noah Bressner, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
July 2: After Kristi Noem's debacle, a second dog makes headlines.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debacle 
Byphil Wahba, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2024
The resulting correction parallels the deflation of Japan’s real estate bubble in the 1990s and the American housing and credit derivative debacle in 2008.
—Drew Bernstein, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024
Somewhere in the middle, President Biden dropped out of the race after being pushed aside by fellow Democrats following his debate debacle — a group that included former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to George Clooney.
—Noah Bressner, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
July 2: After Kristi Noem's debacle, a second dog makes headlines.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debacle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debacle
Noun
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Going to space after the Columbia disaster Eileen Collins’ fourth and final mission came on the heels of the tragic Columbia disaster.Dr. Ruth Gotian, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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As the film reminds us, any number of iffy career choices, like that role in the cinematic disaster that was Sgt.David Browne, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Many of them see it as the government intervening in the free market to pick winners and losers—especially when the latter are fossil-fuel companies that donate heavily to the GOP.Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Nov. 2024
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The two previously undefeated teams will meet for the second time ever in the loser’s bracket on Tuesday.Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Rejection can happen quickly or over years and it can be treated, but may also lead to kidney failure, which might require dialysis or another transplant.Maria Sole Campinoti, CNN, 2 Dec. 2024
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Medications Heart failure medications help reduce symptoms and vary in type and dosing.Rafle Fernandez, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The first tragedy is made all the more poignant by the film’s striking opening, in which moments of Callas’ life are intercut with a stark, beautiful image of her singing with glorious power — an image Lachman makes iconic through his stunning black-and-white photography.Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 26 Nov. 2024
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The tragedy has become a focal point for broader dissatisfaction with Serbia's current administration, with increasing public demands for transparency in large-scale infrastructure projects, many of which involve Chinese state companies.Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
Noun
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In the aftermath, Freeman dissected every millisecond of Irish practices, meetings and gatherings in general, stretching from the end of their impressive 23-13 thumping of then-No. 20 Texas A&M on the road through the opening kickoff of the Northern Illinois fiasco.Terence Moore, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
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Instead, Guerra found a raggedy green wig in his closet that reminded him of the fiasco Willy Wonka experience in Scotland that went viral earlier this year.Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The Biden administration, to be fair, had less time to deal with America’s deeper health issues, because it was forced to deal with at least a few calamities.Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 25 Nov. 2024
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As a new video came to light Monday showing the chaos and calamity of a ferry gangway collapse on a historic Georgia island that left seven senior citizens dead and three critically injured, survivors shared harrowing details of the disaster.Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debacle. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.
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