1
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
an ancient cataclysm that may have been the basis for the Flood described in the Bible
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in catastrophe
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake that struck Lisbon in 1755, killing 30,000 people, was one of the greatest cataclysms ever recorded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
a social cataclysm that gave rise to a new world order
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 cataclysm
When neutron stars merge, plus possibly when other stellar cataclysms (such as supernovae or exploding white dwarfs) occur, both U-235 and U-238 are produced.
—
Big Think, 10 Apr. 2025
Uranium, for example, is created in stellar cataclysms, with kilonova events — or colliding and merging neutron stars that don’t immediately form a black hole — doing the majority of creation for this element and its isotopes.
—Big Think, 10 Apr. 2025
Furthermore, there are the nebulae that result from stellar cataclysms, or violent events that trigger a star or stellar remnant’s destruction.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
Perfect atmospheric mix for ferocious storm The atmospheric stew that gave birth to the ferocious cataclysm was literally a perfect storm.
—John O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Big Think, 10 Apr. 2025
Uranium, for example, is created in stellar cataclysms, with kilonova events — or colliding and merging neutron stars that don’t immediately form a black hole — doing the majority of creation for this element and its isotopes.
—Big Think, 10 Apr. 2025
Furthermore, there are the nebulae that result from stellar cataclysms, or violent events that trigger a star or stellar remnant’s destruction.
—Big Think, 18 Mar. 2025
Perfect atmospheric mix for ferocious storm The atmospheric stew that gave birth to the ferocious cataclysm was literally a perfect storm.
—John O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
-
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth issued a flood warning in several North Texas counties, including Tarrant County, beginning Monday evening through Tuesday morning, when 1 to 3 inches of rain is forecast.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 May 2025
-
The tsunami wave from an anticipated earthquake off the West Coast reach 100 feet and permanently flood parts of the coast.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
25 May 2025
Noun
-
Automakers brace for policy upheaval Automakers knew that Trump's election would bring huge changes to EV policy.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
3 June 2025
-
Anti-immigration politics threw the Dutch and German governments into upheaval amid growing nationalist sentiment in Europe.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
This newfound freedom could unlock a torrent of human potential: Innovation and creativity: With basic needs met, individuals would be free to pursue education, engage in creative endeavors, or launch entrepreneurial ventures that could benefit society in unforeseen ways.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
-
English-language creators have also puked out a torrent of AI musical erotica, but nothing that plays on a piece of cultural heritage that’s been memed to oblivion as much as A Midsummer Night’s Lewd Dream.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
14 May 2025
Noun
-
Though the Sixers remained a disaster without Embiid on the floor over those past two seasons, Maxey hit that 26-points-per-game mark and arrived as a star in this league.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
The first episode features the recreation by actors of actual communication or lack of communication between the pilot and his junior officer that led to these disasters.—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
29 May 2025
Noun
-
Each episode explores a pivotal or outrageous moment in marijuana history—from ancient tokes to cultural revolutions—blending humor with surprisingly rich education.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
-
The artificial intelligence revolution has reached a critical inflection point.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
As bad luck would have it, when Panahi’s film screened to critics this writer was trapped on an airplane as a minor apocalypse descended upon Nice airport.—
Thomas Page,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
-
And is vanilla cake easier in the zombie apocalypse because extract has a longer shelf life than cocoa powder?—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 May 2025
Noun
-
Ring While the United States Geological Survey stresses that factors like the distance from the earthquake, type of soil a building is built on and construction design are all key factors, damage begins to occur if an earthquake reaches somewhere between 4 or 5 magnitude.—
Jack Beresford,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 May 2025
-
During an earlier monologue, Robin talks about the great earthquake that will one day level the Pacific Northwest, and at times his words sound not like a prophecy or a warning, but an oblique recollection of the emotional earthquake that devastated him.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
28 May 2025
Noun
-
The narrative moves between Joan’s ascent through the ranks, including a love story as explosive as a rocket launch, and a mid-decade disaster reminiscent of the Challenger tragedy.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
-
Saar says the phrase refers to those seeking to export violence beyond the Middle East to places like America, making the D.C. shooting much more than a local tragedy.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share