variants
also débâcles
1
as in disasters
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 failures
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
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Recent Examples of debacles
The one tiny potential upside of the populist movement was its apparent reluctance to plunge the nation into foreign debacles.
—
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
From shocking district alignments to puzzling travel debacles, many coaches were left shaking their heads in disbelief.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Several similar debacles have plagued the team over the last six years, but this one may just take the cake.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Reduced runway capacity and de-icing debacles, with the airport’s supplies of de-icing fluid at one point running low this week, also have contributed to flight backlogs, creating a domino effect across flight networks in Europe and beyond.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 8 Jan. 2026
After the Utah and Arizona debacles, CU fans have been looking for a reason to stay invested.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
The concept was so sticky and compelling, though, that others started mining histories of notorious debacles for more examples of the same.
—David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Those debacles not only angered voters but showed to the bond markets that Labour would struggle to shore up Britain’s public finances.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Japan is also looking at political uncertainty as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to step down, following electoral debacles that saw the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lose its majority in both the lower and upper houses of parliament.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 6 Mar. 2026
From shocking district alignments to puzzling travel debacles, many coaches were left shaking their heads in disbelief.
—Greg Riddle, Dallas Morning News, 3 Feb. 2026
Several similar debacles have plagued the team over the last six years, but this one may just take the cake.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Reduced runway capacity and de-icing debacles, with the airport’s supplies of de-icing fluid at one point running low this week, also have contributed to flight backlogs, creating a domino effect across flight networks in Europe and beyond.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 8 Jan. 2026
After the Utah and Arizona debacles, CU fans have been looking for a reason to stay invested.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
The concept was so sticky and compelling, though, that others started mining histories of notorious debacles for more examples of the same.
—David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025
Those debacles not only angered voters but showed to the bond markets that Labour would struggle to shore up Britain’s public finances.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Japan is also looking at political uncertainty as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to step down, following electoral debacles that saw the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lose its majority in both the lower and upper houses of parliament.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debacles
Noun
-
For all the negative coverage, aesthetic arguments about climbing styles, the controversies and disasters, Everest continues to be at the heart of so many dreams and ambitions — even for old hands, like Cotter.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
The third challenge is time pressure, especially in areas recovering from disasters.—
Cyril PETIT,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Canepa has accused Irizarry of running a toxic workplace and argued that a recent $20 million property tax refund settlement with Genentech highlights the department’s failures.—
Ryan Macasero,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
-
Investigators examined whether the accident was caused by anchoring failures or equipment malfunction.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
The California manufacture has unveiled a beastly off-roader that can be kitted out to protect you from any pending world-wide catastrophes.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
30 May 2026
-
The catastrophes are not hypothetical.—
Shlomit Wagman,
Fortune,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s been one of the main disappointments of this season.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Her compelling personal perspective on 40-plus years of post-Revolutionary Iran provides a chronicle of great hopes and even greater disappointments.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The effort to both support and regulate DCF comes at a time when the department is being criticized for its handling of several recent tragedies involving children.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
2 June 2026
-
Those scenes' lighthearted whimsy, featuring late-night hijinks with classmates pranking grumpy instructors, pays off in the story's earliest tragedies.—
Jordan Minor,
PC Magazine,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The winter had been a season of calamities, with one emergency or challenge after another.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Farmers markets — that humble and charming throwback to a bygone era — are also struggling with higher fuel prices, after weathering the economic calamities of the pandemic and other misfortunes.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Debacles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debacles. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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