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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
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Physicist Matthew von Hippel looks not at the birth of the universe but at its destruction, outlining a disastrous world-ending scenario that makes asteroid strikes and Earth-colliding black holes look like kid stuff.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025 -
Here, The Athletic looks at what this all means, what points deductions Leicester could face, where the EFL stands on any Premier League sanction and the potential repercussions for a club already reeling from what has been a disastrous season on the pitch.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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The impact on the demographic group driving growth in population, consumer spending, and higher education enrollment in this country would be nothing short of devastating.—
Noreen Sugrue,
Forbes.com,
29 May 2025
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This was somehow more devastating for Minnesota than last year’s Game 5 debacle against Dallas.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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This time, there’s still some uneasiness around the organization, mainly rooted in its turbulent recent past.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
22 May 2025
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These steps prevent, rather than heal, costly losses that weaken a company’s cash position, especially in turbulent times.—
Dean Kaplan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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From cold cases cracked decades later to trials still underway, here are 18 fatal crimes that occurred at colleges and universities.—
Corin Cesaric,
People.com,
18 May 2025
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Saturday’s crash in Brooklyn was the second fatal hit-and-run in the borough in a week, cops said.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
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