1
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
more than one natural catastrophe has threatened to destroy their farm over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in failure
something that has failed
the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophe
Noun
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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
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Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
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This is a classic Washington move — blame the private sector to cover for a government failure.—
Stacy Washington,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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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
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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
Noun
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Meantime Marty and his ex-wife Felicia (Karen Gillan), on good terms, commiserate by phone about the latest roster of calamities.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2025
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All these calamities are happening simultaneously — so many disasters coming at such speed that the bad news slams into Marty like a psychological avalanche.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Catastrophe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophe. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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