cataclysm

noun

cat·​a·​clysm ˈka-tə-ˌkli-zəm How to pronounce cataclysm (audio)
1
2
3
: a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition
broadly : an event that brings great changes
an international economic cataclysm
cataclysmal adjective
or cataclysmic
cataclysmically adverb

Examples of cataclysm in a Sentence

floods, earthquakes, and other cataclysms The country barely survived the cataclysm of war. The revolution could result in worldwide cataclysm.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
So, the researchers have theorized that a super-heated ash cloud that dissipated quickly was actually the first event in the Vesuvius cataclysm. Michael Franco, New Atlas, 28 Feb. 2025 Pirate Borg focuses on nautical fantasy by setting this cataclysm during the golden age of piracy. Rob Wieland, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 The computer cataclysm that never happened is now enjoying a cultural moment, whether as a sight gag in Abbott Elementary, a plot device in The Righteous Gemstones, or as the theme of a new apocalyptic comedy aptly named Y2K. Zachary Loeb / Made By History, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024 Avatar: Seven Havens is set in a world shattered by a devastating cataclysm. Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cataclysm

Word History

Etymology

French cataclysme, from Latin cataclysmos, from Greek kataklysmos, from kataklyzein to inundate, from kata- + klyzein to wash — more at clyster

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cataclysm was in 1599

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Cite this Entry

“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cataclysm. Accessed 19 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

cataclysm

noun
cat·​a·​clysm ˈkat-ə-ˌkliz-əm How to pronounce cataclysm (audio)
1
: a great flood
2
: a violent and destructive natural event (as an earthquake)
3
: a violent social or political change
cataclysmal adjective
or cataclysmic

More from Merriam-Webster on cataclysm

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