debacle
noun
Did you know?
The Origin of Debacle Is French
If you need an icebreaker in some social setting, why not recount the history of debacle? After all, when it was first used in English, debacle referred to the literal breaking up of ice (such as the kind that occurs in a river after a long, cold winter), as well as to the rush of ice or water that follows such an event. Eventually, it was also used to mean “a violent, destructive flood.” If that’s not enough to make some fast friends, you could let loose the fact that debacle comes from the French noun débâcle, which in turn comes from the verb débâcler, meaning “to clear, unbolt, or unbar.” You might then add, to your listeners’ grateful appreciation, that these uses led naturally to such meanings as “a breaking up,” “collapse,” and finally the familiar “disaster” and “fiasco.” We can feel the silence thawing already.
Examples of debacle in a Sentence
T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
So what had been intended as an orderly hearing ended in a general debacle, for as soon as Fray Domingo saw his protector dragged toward the exit door, he leaped at the guards and began pummeling them.
—James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
Savings themselves evaporate in the course of such a debacle and thus the very wherewithal for reversing and retrieving the situation is lost …
—Jane Jacobs, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, 1984
After the debacle of his first novel, he had trouble getting a publisher for his next book.
the financial debacle that was the stock market crash of 1929
New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025
Newsom participated in the debacle at the top, which was caused by a physically declining President Biden insisting on running for reelection.
—George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The fun police tried pouring water on this one after the debacle of the first trailer, which featured Sonic looking like a small human boy who’d been cursed by a witch, but this iconic Sega property turned out to be a delightful little adventure for the whole family.
—Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
The Braves, the majors’ only winless team, completed one of the worst trips in franchise history, an 0-7 debacle with a four-game sweep by the San Diego Padres and three more defeats against the World Series champions.
—David O'Brien, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for debacle
Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debacle. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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debacle
noun
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