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 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of debacle
Ellen Pompeo got an unexpected lesson on what snacks are safe to munch on in flight after a recent security debacle.
—
Moná Thomas, People.com, 2 June 2025
The two sides will argue over whether the president has the authority to direct the election commission, which was created by Congress as an independent agency after the Florida ballot debacle during the 2000 presidential election.
—Leah Willingham, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
The debacle went down as an era-defining humiliation for Warner Bros., once considered the most artist-friendly outfit in town.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 2 June 2025
The 45% hike in the city’s current citywide minimum wage of $17.25 an hour would be a body blow to many employers — and the ongoing trash fee debacle shows no one should trust City Hall to be competent in crafting and executing any major policy.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Moná Thomas, People.com, 2 June 2025
The two sides will argue over whether the president has the authority to direct the election commission, which was created by Congress as an independent agency after the Florida ballot debacle during the 2000 presidential election.
—Leah Willingham, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2025
The debacle went down as an era-defining humiliation for Warner Bros., once considered the most artist-friendly outfit in town.
—Zak Cheney-Rice, Vulture, 2 June 2025
The 45% hike in the city’s current citywide minimum wage of $17.25 an hour would be a body blow to many employers — and the ongoing trash fee debacle shows no one should trust City Hall to be competent in crafting and executing any major policy.
—U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for debacle
Noun
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By ordering these strikes, Trump acted without congressional approval and in contradiction to his campaign promise to avoid the kind of disasters experienced in Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
22 June 2025
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One of the factors that exacerbated the Chernobyl disaster was a design flaw within the nuclear reactor that exploded, Bernstein said, adding that the design is no longer used.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
21 June 2025
Noun
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The winners of the Round of 16 games advance to the quarterfinals, while the losers move on to the classification games for places 9-16.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
29 June 2025
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Playing a likable but selfish loser, Zahn has never been better; and the boyish, charming Walker freaks out like nobody’s business; the film’s greatest asset is the fraternal chemistry between these two.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
Noun
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But those failures don’t matter as much because the company’s worth is associated with the publicity surrounding its cult of personality.—
Maximo Bratter,
Sun Sentinel,
30 June 2025
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Extreme heat can cause wiring insulation to deteriorate faster, leading to shorts or failures in electrical components.—
Bethany Wales,
Sacbee.com,
30 June 2025
Noun
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Jacobson said the sorrow among Amira’s family and friends was tempered by a supportive community, including members of the Mosque Foundation who visited Richards after the tragedy.—
Janice Neumann,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
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The page lists half a dozen directorial projects Ford is attached to, including ferry disaster tragedy Wahine out of New Zealand, fantasy tale The King of Light – The Order of the Dark Gods, and comedy Food Fight.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Officials will be checking to make sure drivers who enter the property have tickets for the event, hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s fiasco at the Copa America final, where unticketed fans were able to rush into the stadium, overwhelming officers.—
Vivienne Serret,
Miami Herald,
13 June 2025
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Trump’s opponents are already depicting this fiasco as emblematic of an administration that loves to shoot itself in the foot, then put the bloody foot in its mouth.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Noun
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But for news publishers and journalists, another calamity was on the horizon.—
Alex Reisner,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
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Finally, there is the key role of the very well known, extremist conservative federal judge of Texas – a highly political judge – who virtually snatched Boeing calamity as a felonious government contractor.—
Charles Tiefer,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/debacle. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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