CATASTROPHIC Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

catastrophic

adjective

as in disastrous

bringing about ruin or misfortune a catastrophic tornado destroyed the hamlet's only house of worship

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of catastrophic Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently closed its X2 roller coaster after multiple lawsuits accused the attraction of causing catastrophic brain injuries. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026 So, Correa repeatedly assured voters that abandoning the dollar would be catastrophic and was not on his agenda. — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026 The Titan had suffered a catastrophic implosion; the five men had died before their brains had even had time to register what was happening. — Julia Buckley, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026 Arcel is masterful in a character study whose protagonist is often unreadable and elusive — and whose previously unexposed inner cold streak proves catastrophic to her community. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026 In such inhospitable landscapes, mistakes can be catastrophic. — Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Several days of rain from the storm caused catastrophic flooding there. — Zachary Handlos, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026 For example, the most popular plan has been covering catastrophic care like cancer treatment with a $3,800 out-of-pocket max. — Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026 But not all encounters with Taliban officials have been catastrophic. — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophic

Adjective

But real power, particularly in numbers, can make things happen or stop really disastrous things from happening.

— Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
The 46-year-old was dismissed from the Mets halfway through the 2026 season after a disastrous start, which included a 12-game losing streak in April.

— Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of disastrous

Adjective

Another e-bike rider died over the weekend in Huntington Beach, marking the second fatal incident involving an e-bike in the coastal city in months.

— Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Presley, Crawford’s son and Kaia’s older brother, died of a fatal overdose inside a rehab facility after years of struggling with addiction and his mental health.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of fatal

Adjective

Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.

— Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.

— Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of unfortunate

Browse Nearby Words

catastrophes

catastrophic

catatonic

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“Catastrophic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophic. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of catastrophic

adjective

Example Sentences

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