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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of debacle
Still, some council members are leery of adding any new revenue-raising fees after the debacle of charging for parking at Balboa Park and the outcry from homeowners over the trash fees.
—
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
While some might see children at weddings as an etiquette debacle, Southerners don’t see it that way.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The service-plaza debacle wasn’t the only instance where Tibbits-Nutt brought negative attention to the Healey administration.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
On another front, crack journalist Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) also is back in town after the whole New York debacle and losing her job.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Mar. 2026
While some might see children at weddings as an etiquette debacle, Southerners don’t see it that way.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Feb. 2026
The service-plaza debacle wasn’t the only instance where Tibbits-Nutt brought negative attention to the Healey administration.
—Tim Dunn, Boston Herald, 27 Feb. 2026
On another front, crack journalist Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox) also is back in town after the whole New York debacle and losing her job.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debacle
Noun
-
Such lack of vision — or ample self-delusion — propelled Americans to disaster in Iraq, even with some competent advisers in the White House.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Leaving Polis off the guest list of a recent governors’ dinner at the White House was the latest slap in the face of many that include rescinded federal grants, a vetoed water bill, rejected disaster fund requests, and the loss of two federal agencies.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Survivors are at risk of infections and organ or respiratory failure, even if their burns are small.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
What remains to be seen is the degree to which the current fiasco will resemble our destruction of Iraq.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
-
This production of Peter Pan is flying straight toward a fiasco.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Asian Film Awards, an anchor event of Hong Kong’s Entertainment Expo, which usually takes place on the eve of Filmart, has canceled the main awards ceremony, citing the need to be low-key following last year’s Tai Po fire tragedy.—
Liz Shackleton,
Deadline,
11 Mar. 2026
-
And when the fast-moving vehicles collide, tragedy can ensue.—
Alissa Gary,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
As friendships between lonely men so often do, Gary and Ennis start to game out what their plans would be if there ever were a zombie apocalypse.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Khosla warned the impending AI jobs apocalypse will upend the economy by the end of the decade, and tech could soon replace some 80% of jobs, including some of the roles that have traditionally been associated with years of training or education.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debacle. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
