catastrophe

[kuh-tas-truh-fee]

noun

1. a sudden and widespread disaster.

   the catastrophe of war.

   Synonyms: calamity, misfortune
   Antonyms: triumph

2. any misfortune, mishap, or failure; fiasco.

   The play was so poor our whole evening was a catastrophe.

3. a final event or conclusion, usually an unfortunate one; a disastrous end.

   the great catastrophe of the Old South at Appomattox.

   Antonyms: triumph

4. (in a drama) the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motive, introducing the close or conclusion; dénouement.

5. Geology.,  a sudden, violent disturbance, especially of a part of the surface of the earth; cataclysm.

6. Also called catastrophe function. Mathematics.,  any of the mathematical functions that describe the discontinuities that are treated in catastrophe theory.

catastrophe

/ kəˈtæstrəfɪ, ˌkætəˈstrɒfɪk /

noun

1. a sudden, extensive, or notable disaster or misfortune

2. the denouement of a play, esp a classical tragedy

3. a final decisive event, usually causing a disastrous end

4. Also called: cataclysm. any sudden and violent change in the earth's surface caused by flooding, earthquake, or some other rapid process

Other Word Forms

• catastrophic adjective
• catastrophical adjective
• catastrophal adjective
• supercatastrophe noun
• catastrophically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of catastrophe¹

First recorded in 1570–80; from Greek katastrophḗ “an overturning,” from katastréphein “to overturn”; equivalent to cata- + strophe

Word History and Origins

Origin of catastrophe¹

C16: from Greek katastrophē, from katastrephein to overturn, from strephein to turn

Synonym Study

See disaster.

Example Sentences

“We find ourselves face to face with the danger of war and of nuclear catastrophe, with the possible result of destroying the human race,” he told the group.

Read more on Literature

Strong property-liability performance and modest catastrophe losses helped drive profit, Chief Executive Tom Wilson said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The war in Sudan, which has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more, has spread to new areas in recent days, sparking fears of an even greater humanitarian catastrophe.

Read more on Barron's

Neither can most memoirs, but, at 85 years, Atwood’s valediction to readers shares “many strange happenings, incidents of malice, odd dreams, conversations, joyful moments, ghosts, stupid mistakes, and catastrophes.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In September, the head of the Catholic Church had called on responsible actors and the international community to increase diplomatic efforts to "end this humanitarian catastrophe" and ensure humanitarian corridors.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• accident 
• adversity 
• calamity 
• casualty 
• cataclysm 
• crash 
• debacle 
• devastation 
• disaster 
• emergency 
• failure 
• fiasco 
• hardship 
• meltdown 
• misery 
• mishap 
• tragedy 
• trouble 
• wreck