catastrophic
Americanadjective
Other Word 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.
In some versions, a catastrophic event occurred in the past, triggering society’s collapse.”
From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026
They are seeking the equivalent of $108 million in compensation for catastrophic flooding in southern Brazil in 2024.
From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026
Boutcher said "proportionate options" to police the parade had been "exhausted" and any operation to clear the route would have "catastrophic" consequences.
From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026
Instead of a sudden, catastrophic collision that destroys the smaller object, the star appears to be sustaining a relatively steady flow of material from its neighbor.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
Comstock, the Oklahoma lawyer who had served as the guardian to several Osage, had personally briefed Senator Curtis on the bureau’s catastrophic bungling.
From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
