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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in failure
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debacle
There was a debacle of a survey done used for an appraisal by Farm Credit East.
—
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Seahawks backers booed their opponents vociferously and seemed to take an extra bit of pleasure in getting revenge for the debacle of the 2015 Super Bowl.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 9 Feb. 2026
This months-long CNN investigation reveals the depths of the debacle.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
But then Spoelstra tried to explain what went wrong in the Heat’s latest third-quarter debacle on Friday.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 Feb. 2026
Seahawks backers booed their opponents vociferously and seemed to take an extra bit of pleasure in getting revenge for the debacle of the 2015 Super Bowl.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 9 Feb. 2026
This months-long CNN investigation reveals the depths of the debacle.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
But then Spoelstra tried to explain what went wrong in the Heat’s latest third-quarter debacle on Friday.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debacle
Noun
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While the Supreme Court’s majority opinion did not explicitly outline a repayment protocol, dissenting Justice Brett Kavanaugh highlighted the looming administrative disaster.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
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The latter possibility, however, could give rise to enough disaster and famine to fully destabilize human civilization.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Chatham County Police Department is investigating the crash and has charged Vasquez Lopez with reckless driving, driving without a valid license, failure to obey a traffic control device, and first-degree homicide by vehicle, the agency shared online.—
Saleen Martin,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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As such, a cybersecurity failure in the F-35 program would be a serious breach that could jeopardize the integrity of planned and upcoming missions.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This, if possible, blows up in her face even more spectacularly than the brunch fiasco.—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
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Specifically, his fiasco of a presidential campaign.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This tragedy has affected each and every one of us.—
Michael James,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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One year after their deaths, those closest to Hackman and Arakawa say their legacy is not defined by tragedy, but by devotion — a partnership rooted in privacy, dignity and a love story that endured long after Hollywood faded from view.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sure, there’s the intimation of a world gone to pieces, whether from a quantum apocalypse or an ecological catastrophe; there’s the presentation of a modern self, stripped of its qualities and evacuated of purpose.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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The first time was in 2009, when papers across the country were slashing books coverage in an attempt to stave off budgetary apocalypse.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debacle. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.
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