variants
or cataclysmic
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a cataclysmal decision to plunge the nation into war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a cataclysmal landslide that virtually wiped out the village
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
the French Revolution was one of the great cataclysmal events in modern history
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
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It’s been a disastrous few months for Iran and its ability to threaten its regional rivals and enemies.—
Ian Bremmer,
TIME,
2 Feb. 2025 -
After a disastrous trip to Mexico where Irina appeared repulsed by everything Zack did, the couple split and Zack went crawling back to Bliss.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Electrical equipment — transmission lines in particular — has been the source of some of the most devastating wildfires in California and across the country.—
Ivan Penn,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2025
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Almost two years ago, the BBC greenlit a three-part drama about the Grenfell Tower fire, a national tragedy in which 72 people perished in a devastating blaze at a London housing block.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The Paris prosecutor’s office had requested five years in prison, with three years suspended, following a turbulent two-day court hearing in early December.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2025
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Like the Chiefs in parts of the regular season, UConn is in the midst of a turbulent period.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
2 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occured in 2009 near Buffalo, New York.—
LOLITA C. BALDOR,
TIME,
30 Jan. 2025
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Follow more of our reporting on Wichita American Airlines plane crash in Washington, D.C. Local Teen figure skater ‘rocketing to the top of the sport’ and his mom killed in plane crash January 30, 2025 1:54 PM National How common are fatal crashes with military aircraft?—
Daniel Desrochers,
Kansas City Star,
30 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
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