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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from the Second Presidential Debate: October 9, 2016
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Life As We Knew It
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“So even a total loss is not a catastrophic hit to their GDP, but it is an extremely large hit to their government revenue and the budget for military spending,” said Dwivedi.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
More than six months after the United Nations endorsed a peace plan in Gaza, the humanitarian situation there remains catastrophic, three global NGOs said Thursday, calling on Israel to respect its obligations.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The catastrophic results have been visible on L.A. streets for some time now.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
But in her letter, Phillips said "real change" in her role "usually came from threats made by me in light of catastrophic mistakes".
From BBC • May 12, 2026
So catastrophic and irrevocable were the changes that it is tempting to think that almost nothing survived from the past.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
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.
