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
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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
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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
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Recent Examples of cataclysm
The first five mass extinctions were triggered by cataclysms such as super volcano eruptions and the impact of a massive asteroid.
—
Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Leftovers, which ran for four seasons on three seasons, followed the aftermath of a global cataclysm that results in the unexplained disappearance of 140 million people, finds Kevin (Theroux), a police officer and father, relocated to a small Texas town from Mapleton, New York.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 2 June 2025
Some plants are quiet survivors, outlasting cataclysms that reshaped the planet itself.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The Black Death, the bubonic plague that tore into England in 1348, was — this should not need saying — a cataclysm.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Keridwen Cornelius, New York Times, 3 May 2025
The Leftovers, which ran for four seasons on three seasons, followed the aftermath of a global cataclysm that results in the unexplained disappearance of 140 million people, finds Kevin (Theroux), a police officer and father, relocated to a small Texas town from Mapleton, New York.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 2 June 2025
Some plants are quiet survivors, outlasting cataclysms that reshaped the planet itself.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
The Black Death, the bubonic plague that tore into England in 1348, was — this should not need saying — a cataclysm.
—Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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When heavy rain occurs, there is a risk of flooding, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone regions.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
26 July 2025
-
Earlier this month, Grok praised Adolf Hitler in comments about the Texas floods and spewed antisemitism.—
Chris Eudaily,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Given the massive upheaval in Bieber’s life and business affairs, a brand new team around him, and his longest-ever wait in between records, industry insiders watched closely last week, wondering how Bieber would fare in the most-consequential era of his career to date.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
23 July 2025
-
The Dignity Act comes in the wake of that upheaval.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Much of the stock market's rise this year can be attributed to the torrent of capital spending from the companies known as hyperscalers, which is supposed to top $350 billion in 2025.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
25 July 2025
-
Flash floods are usually characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains.—
Andrew Ford,
AZCentral.com,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Phone systems are often down or busy after a disaster.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
28 July 2025
-
Despite a joint preliminary damage assessment estimating over $15.8 million in emergency response costs and infrastructure damage, the federal government denied Maryland’s request for federal disaster assistance.—
Danny Tow,
Baltimore Sun,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
On the one hand, as Tevye is fond of saying, the story unfolds in a hardscrabble shtetl in the Ukrainian plains in the months leading up to the Russian Empire’s abortive 1905 revolution.—
David Lyman,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
-
No 1, Trafford joined the Vincent Kompany revolution at Burnley as one of a number of young signings tasked with taking on the Premier League after a historic Championship title-winning campaign.—
Matt Pyzdrowski,
New York Times,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Prosecutors alleged Vallow Daybell and her husband, Chad Daybell, believed an apocalypse was imminent and people around them were evil zombies.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
-
While Bowie envisioned an Earth careening toward apocalypse in a flamboyant, theatrical cry, Drake’s five leaves are quieter, lonelier — more like the end of a season than the end of a world.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
On Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, a flurry of small earthquakes shook the Iliamna volcano on June 15.—
Elizabeth Weise,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
-
While much of America has moved past COVID-19, the pandemic that hit the industry like an earthquake continues to experience aftershocks.—
Alexander Coolidge,
The Enquirer,
13 July 2025
Noun
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The tragedy comes after a German man, 54, also drowned on Tuesday at Cap de Sant Pere de Cambrils beach, near Llarga beach, bringing Catalan beaches’ fatalities to 16 since June 15, according to the BBC.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
People.com,
31 July 2025
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The tragedy happened just seven days after the couple’s July 19 wedding, according to their online wedding page.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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