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.

You wouldn't want to read a whole lot into the 4-1 but it was welcome, a fillip when a catastrophe presented itself at 1-0.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

"It's a catastrophe for me because I hate being silent!" she posted on social media.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

No one wants war, which would be a catastrophe, but the U.S. isn’t threatening to use force against China.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

If Spielberg’s earlier UFO movies gave us awe, comfort and catastrophe, this one feels like an encounter of a fourth kind: What happens when the cover story breaks?

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

It had happened with the sudden catastrophe of a dream—and with all the unreal horror of a dream.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

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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