catastrophe

[kuh-tas-truh-fee] / kəˈtæs trə fi /

NOUN

calamity; unhappy conclusion

Synonyms

STRONGEST

accident adversity calamity casualty cataclysm crash debacle devastation disaster emergency failure fiasco hardship meltdown misery mishap tragedy trouble wreck

STRONG

affliction alluvion blow contretemps culmination curtains denouement desolation end fatality finale grief havoc ill infliction misadventure mischance misfortune reverse scourge stroke termination trial upshot waterloo

WEAK

bad luck bad news bad thing the worst

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage aid assistance benefit blessing boon creation favor fortune gain good fortune good luck happiness help joy miracle peace profit prosperity success win wonder

STRONG

beginning birth cause comfort commencement delight luck opening origin start

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Presidents from Harry Truman to Lyndon Johnson were forced to see that Jim Crow was not just a moral catastrophe but a geopolitical liability.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

Social Security was created to exactly avoid this kind of catastrophe, which would lead to homelessness, poverty and hunger, as it did in the 1930s.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Jonathan Huggins, of Southwold, believed the rise in the popularity of plastic grass for gardens and sports pitches was a "looming environmental catastrophe".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Net income rose to $1.7 billion from $$395 million a year ago, primarily because of lower catastrophe losses and higher investment returns.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

The Jacobeans had a sure grasp of catastrophe.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Vocabulary lists containing catastrophe

Break It Down: Cata

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Words from "The Avengers"

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Don't Distress: Words With Irregular Opposites

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