1
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
an ancient cataclysm that may have been the basis for the Flood described in the Bible
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in catastrophe
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake that struck Lisbon in 1755, killing 30,000 people, was one of the greatest cataclysms ever recorded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
a social cataclysm that gave rise to a new world order
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cataclysm
The Black Death, the bubonic plague that tore into England in 1348, was — this should not need saying — a cataclysm.
—
Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 28 May 2025
The film begins, as usual, with a vision of cataclysm: a Space Needle–esque building that both collapses and explodes.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Produced and directed by Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn, the film is about the financial cataclysm that hit New York City in 1975, when the powers that be figured out that the city was $6 billion in debt.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
In the real world, though, the cataclysm can come in on little cat feet.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Andrew Stuttaford, National Review, 28 May 2025
The film begins, as usual, with a vision of cataclysm: a Space Needle–esque building that both collapses and explodes.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 22 May 2025
Produced and directed by Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn, the film is about the financial cataclysm that hit New York City in 1975, when the powers that be figured out that the city was $6 billion in debt.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025
In the real world, though, the cataclysm can come in on little cat feet.
—Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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And that flood will continue for 10 years straight as the Rubin Observatory executes its signature project, dubbed the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST).—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
1 July 2025
-
Hubert was in Cape Girardeau helping with tornado and flood relief.—
Bella Waters,
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2025
Noun
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The dashboard comes at a time when the justice system is still adjusting to major changes, like the elimination of cash bail in 2023 in addition to the massive upheaval brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Madeline Buckley,
Chicago Tribune,
29 June 2025
-
The closing comes at a time of mild upheaval in the Coconut Grove culinary scene.—
Connie Ogle,
Miami Herald,
28 June 2025
Noun
-
Fucci, who was staying near the Guadalupe River, filmed on her phone a torrent of muddy water flooding the road to her grandmother's house.—
Susan Miller,
USA Today,
6 July 2025
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Trump’s second term has unleashed a torrent of assaults on protest and dissent, from revoking visas and disappearing activists, to withholding federal funds from universities that won’t dismantle diversity initiatives.—
Time,
Time,
2 July 2025
Noun
-
As someone takes on roles that have elements of power associated with it, that can be a recipe for disaster.—
Heather V. MacArthur,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Lighting effects, which demonstrate how self-driving vehicles avoid disaster, may give vibes from Magic Kingdom’s Tron Lightcycle / Run coaster.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 June 2025
Noun
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But a December revolution ended the Assad family’s rule, and the former Islamist militant who leads the new government has sought new investment and trade links, which Gulf states in particular have been quick to offer.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
1 July 2025
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On July 7th, Uranus, the planet of disruption, awakening, and revolution, enters Gemini for the first time since 1942.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 June 2025
Noun
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The film, as per the press notes, redefines human fears in the face of apocalypse in a contemporary dystopia that puts Black and Indigenous characters at the center of a story about people defending their land from those who would kill them for it without a second thought.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
3 July 2025
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Ramsey currently stars as apocalypse survivor Ellie on the HBO zombie drama The Last of Us; it was renewed for Season 3 in April, days ahead of the Season 2 premiere.—
Dave Nemetz,
TVLine,
2 July 2025
Noun
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There are areas of Haiti that are that still have not recovered from the earthquake.—
Billal Rahman
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 June 2025
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Earth processes – such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions – also trigger cascading hazards, often with long-lasting effects.—
Brian J. Yanites,
The Conversation,
26 June 2025
Noun
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For past campers, the tragedy turned happy memories into grief.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 July 2025
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While most Americans celebrated Independence Day, a tragedy unfolded in Central Texas.—
The Editors,
National Review,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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