catastrophic

Sometimes cata·strophi·cal,

[kat-uh-strof-ik]

adjective

1. of the nature of a catastrophe, or disastrous event; calamitous.

   a catastrophic failure of the dam.

Other Word Forms

• catastrophically adverb
• noncatastrophic adjective
• noncatastrophically adverb
• supercatastrophic adjective
• uncatastrophic adjective
• uncatastrophically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of catastrophic¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from Greek katastrophikós, equivalent to catastroph(e) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

“With health care votes ahead, the question is whether Republicans in Congress will join us to prevent catastrophic increases in health insurance premiums.”

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I think we have to have some reckonings in between, smaller ones that aren’t systematically catastrophic,” she said.

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Most of Gaza's population of more than two million people were displaced at least once during two years of devastating war, which triggered catastrophic humanitarian conditions in the territory.

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That has caused catastrophic runs on the peso, even after Argentina received tens of billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund.

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Decades ago the Jewish state saved Iran from catastrophic ruin from water mismanagement.

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Related Words

• calamitous 
• cataclysmic 
• disastrous 
• fatal 
• ruinous 
• tragic