catastrophe

noun

ca·tas·tro·phe kə-ˈta-strə-(ˌ)fē How to pronounce catastrophe (audio)

plural catastrophes

: 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 How to pronounce catastrophe (audio)

adjective

catastrophically

ˌka-tə-ˈsträ-fi-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce catastrophe (audio)

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 To look at any single wildfire catastrophe is to grasp the huge number of factors that planners and residents must confront both beforehand and in the moment.

Ingfei Chen, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2022 This is an ongoing American health catastrophe that will draw significant and increasing investment and revenue for basic and clinical research, health care, disability expenses and advocacy. Protecting the vulnerable.

Steven Phillips, STAT, 6 Sep. 2022 European governments are racing to stave off a ballooning energy catastrophe this winter that’s threatening to dwarf the billions of euros of relief on offer for consumers and businesses.

BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2022 Correspondent Susan Spencer talks with documentary filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein about the ways in which America failed – politically and institutionally – during a seismic humanitarian catastrophe.

CBS News, 1 Sep. 2022 Today, Defund the FBI slogans and their affect on this fall's midterms, plus devastating climate catastrophe in Pakistan and more.

Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2022 Last week, fighting in the area temporarily disconnected the plant from Ukraine’s power grid for the first time in its 40-year history, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the incident left the world narrowly avoiding a radiation catastrophe.

Josh Lederman, NBC News, 29 Aug. 2022 But most observers, including water managers, states, cities and farmers, agree that without action, Lake Powell is heading toward catastrophe.

Zak Podmore, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 In the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, the world's worst atomic energy catastrophe, radiation spread from Ukraine to several neighboring countries.

Arkansas Online, 29 Aug. 2022 See More

单词	catastrophe
释义	catastrophe noun ca·tas·tro·phe kə-ˈta-strə-(ˌ)fē plural catastrophes 1 : a momentous tragic event ranging from extreme misfortune to utter overthrow or ruin Deforestation and erosion can lead to an ecological catastrophe. 2 : utter failure : fiasco the party was a catastrophe 3 a : a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth b : a violent usually destructive natural event (such as a supernova) 4 : 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. Synonyms apocalypse calamity cataclysm debacle débâcle disaster tragedy See all Synonyms & Antonyms 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 To look at any single wildfire catastrophe is to grasp the huge number of factors that planners and residents must confront both beforehand and in the moment. Ingfei Chen, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2022 This is an ongoing American health catastrophe that will draw significant and increasing investment and revenue for basic and clinical research, health care, disability expenses and advocacy. Protecting the vulnerable. Steven Phillips, STAT, 6 Sep. 2022 European governments are racing to stave off a ballooning energy catastrophe this winter that’s threatening to dwarf the billions of euros of relief on offer for consumers and businesses. BostonGlobe.com, 5 Sep. 2022 Correspondent Susan Spencer talks with documentary filmmakers Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein about the ways in which America failed – politically and institutionally – during a seismic humanitarian catastrophe. CBS News, 1 Sep. 2022 Today, Defund the FBI slogans and their affect on this fall's midterms, plus devastating climate catastrophe in Pakistan and more. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 30 Aug. 2022 Last week, fighting in the area temporarily disconnected the plant from Ukraine’s power grid for the first time in its 40-year history, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying the incident left the world narrowly avoiding a radiation catastrophe. Josh Lederman, NBC News, 29 Aug. 2022 But most observers, including water managers, states, cities and farmers, agree that without action, Lake Powell is heading toward catastrophe. Zak Podmore, The Salt Lake Tribune, 29 Aug. 2022 In the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident, the world's worst atomic energy catastrophe, radiation spread from Ukraine to several neighboring countries. Arkansas Online, 29 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from kata- + strephein to turn First Known Use 1540, in the meaning defined at sense 4 Phrases Containing catastrophe catastrophe theory catastrophe theory Kids Definition catastrophe noun ca·tas·tro·phe kə-ˈta-strə-fē 1 : a sudden disaster The oil spill was an environmental catastrophe. 2 : complete failure : fiasco The party was a catastrophe. Medical Definition catastrophe noun ca·tas·tro·phe kə-ˈtas-trə-fē : death (as from an inexplicable cause) before, during, or after an operation catastrophe noun 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 Relevance disaster apocalypse tragedy calamity accident fatality debacle cataclysm casualty débâcle collapse bloodbath upheaval meltdown doomsday crash misfortune convulsion misadventure blow mishap Armageddon paroxysm mischance double whammy end-time one-two punch blast one-two Antonyms & Near Antonyms windfall manna godsend 2 as in failure something that has failed the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it Synonyms & Similar Words disaster failure disappointment fiasco bust shipwreck bomb debacle loser miss mess washout flop frost débâcle lemon dud turkey fizzle clunker bummer clinker dog near miss botch shambles nonevent hash has-been muddle nonstarter also-ran Antonyms & Near Antonyms success blockbuster phenomenon winner hit smash crackerjack corker dandy crackajack jim-dandy See More
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catastrophe

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing catastrophe

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun

noun