catastrophic
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of catastrophic
First recorded in 1820–30; from Greek katastrophikós, equivalent to catastroph(e) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )
Explanation
Something catastrophic is very harmful or disastrous. When the stock market crashes, it’s a catastrophic event for investors. This is a strong word for terrible, harmful, devastating things. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are catastrophic weather events. A depression is catastrophic for the economy. In sports, if the star player is injured, that's catastrophic for the team. If a parent dies, that's catastrophic for a family. Scientists worry that climate change will have a catastrophic effect on the planet. Catastrophic events are severe and horrific. Stubbing your toe isn’t catastrophic: losing your leg in an accident is.
Vocabulary lists containing catastrophic
Break It Down: Cata
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Vocabulary from the Second Presidential Debate: October 9, 2016
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Life As We Knew It
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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.
She said: "This wasn't bad luck. It was a catastrophic collapse of responsibility. An undoubted miscarriage of justice that must now be addressed."
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Nearly three years after a catastrophic storm tore through eastern Libya's port city of Derna killing almost 4,000 people the city is getting back on its feet, but the trauma persists.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
“Because these expenses are big. What do we do if we have a catastrophic event?”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 29, 2026
“GKN Aerospace exposed Orange County and Garden Grove to the risk of a catastrophic chemical explosion,” Rep. Garcia said in a Thursday statement.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Dallas tries for another minute to make it seem completely catastrophic that I drank an ounce of salt water.
From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
