catastrophe

noun

ca·tas·tro·phe kə-ˈta-strə-(ˌ)fē

plural catastrophes

Synonyms of catastrophe next

: a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin

Deforestation and erosion can lead to an ecological catastrophe.

: utter failure : fiasco

the party was a catastrophe

: a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth

: a violent usually destructive natural event (such as a supernova)

: the final event of the dramatic action especially of a tragedy

catastrophic

ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fik

adjective

catastrophically

ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fi-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Did you know?

When English speakers first borrowed the Greek word katastrophē (from katastrephein, meaning "to overturn") as catastrophe in the 1500s, they used it for the conclusion or final event of a dramatic work, especially of a tragedy. In time, catastrophe came to be used more generally of any unhappy conclusion, or disastrous or ruinous end. By the mid-18th century, it was being used to denote truly devastating events, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Finally, it came to be applied to things that are only figuratively catastrophic—burnt dinners, lost luggage, really bad movies, etc.

Example Sentences

The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe. Experts fear a humanitarian catastrophe if food isn't delivered to the refugees soon. an area on the brink of catastrophe

Recent Examples on the Web The world was changed forever by the time the catastrophe ended—and the stage was set for the beginning of the Age of Reptiles. —

Riley Black, National Geographic, 11 Sep. 2020 Like Hitler, Kim’s vaulting ambition brought catastrophe to his own people as well as to his enemies and allies—although, unlike the Nazi dictator, the North Korean leader lived to impose his brand of totalitarianism on his countrymen. —

Arthur Herman, WSJ, 4 Sep. 2020 This, even more than his mother’s death, was the defining catastrophe in Edvard’s life. —

Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 22 June 2023 Love Canal was one of the nation’s worst toxic waste catastrophes and now — 45 years later — the site for a new, and sometimes unknowing, generation of homesteaders. —

Jesse McKinley Lauren Petracca, New York Times, 12 June 2023 Insurance companies have access to advanced catastrophe prediction models. —

Brianna Sacks, Anchorage Daily News, 7 June 2023 Perhaps there's some bitter comfort in being not just bad a team, but a catastrophe that will be remembered forever. —

David Faris, The Week, 4 June 2023 Because those with the power to do so refuse to protect our kids, we’ve been conditioned to understand these catastrophes can happen anywhere, even in states like ours, with sane gun safety laws. —

Yvonne Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 24 May 2023 First, there are two fentanyl crises: the urban street catastrophe; and the suburban nightmare. —

Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catastrophe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.