1
as in disasters
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
more than one natural catastrophe has threatened to destroy their farm over the years
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2
as in failures
something that has failed
the movie was a catastrophe, nearly bankrupting the studio that produced it
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Recent Examples of catastrophes
This spaceplane would advance space exploration and satellite delivery until ultimately being retired following a series of high-profile and tragic catastrophes.
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Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 20 Dec. 2024
Kenya grappled with one of its worst floods in recent history, the latest in a string of weather catastrophes, following weeks of extreme rainfall that scientists linked to a changing climate.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
Tragically claiming 349 lives, the 737 MAX catastrophes revealed serious flaws in corporate governance and fundamental safety shortcomings.
—Jim Osman, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
These are often catastrophes, as the US found out recently from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
This enhances your company’s resilience to catastrophes and improves the outcomes of challenges that will occur in the future.
—Topsie Vandenbosch, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Saturday Night, the film by director Jason Reitman, explores the catastrophes, hijinks, and corporate politics that could have kept the show from ever airing.
—Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 14 Oct. 2024
Furthermore, at the time, a blizzard of government agencies existed to handle catastrophes, but their primary mission was planning to handle the fallout of a nuclear war.
—Justin McBrien / Made By History, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024
With a growing list of catastrophes, there is a compelling need to better align development incentives with disaster risks and to improve how the government takes preventative action, plans for, and responds to such events.
—Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 20 Dec. 2024
Kenya grappled with one of its worst floods in recent history, the latest in a string of weather catastrophes, following weeks of extreme rainfall that scientists linked to a changing climate.
—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 9 Dec. 2024
Tragically claiming 349 lives, the 737 MAX catastrophes revealed serious flaws in corporate governance and fundamental safety shortcomings.
—Jim Osman, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
These are often catastrophes, as the US found out recently from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
—Ian Dexter Palmer, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
This enhances your company’s resilience to catastrophes and improves the outcomes of challenges that will occur in the future.
—Topsie Vandenbosch, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024
Saturday Night, the film by director Jason Reitman, explores the catastrophes, hijinks, and corporate politics that could have kept the show from ever airing.
—Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 14 Oct. 2024
Furthermore, at the time, a blizzard of government agencies existed to handle catastrophes, but their primary mission was planning to handle the fallout of a nuclear war.
—Justin McBrien / Made By History, TIME, 9 Oct. 2024
With a growing list of catastrophes, there is a compelling need to better align development incentives with disaster risks and to improve how the government takes preventative action, plans for, and responds to such events.
—Doug Criscitello, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catastrophes
Noun
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In the past few years, the platform has enabled participants to have a real-time snapshot of port and inland network congestion and monitor unexpected cargo shifts caused by disasters like the Baltimore Bridge collapse, and world events, such as the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea.Lori Ann LaRocco, CNBC, 23 Dec. 2024
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Another $29 billion will go to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for response, recovery and mitigation related to presidentially declared major disasters.Alan Wooten | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Learning from but refusing to dwell on failures keeps your business competitive.Tom Dunlop, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
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The absence of diverse perspectives in innovation has led to notable failures.Shelley Zalis, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Violence was entrenched as a byproduct of a government that ignored the tragedies faced by those like Shirley Vasquez and her neighbors.Cary Goodman, New York Daily News, 5 Jan. 2025
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In 1997, Peart was hit with the first of a double blast of tragedies.William Roberson, Forbes, 4 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Its namesake bell, changed out for a siren in the 1920s, was meant to avoid such calamities in the future.Jessica Garrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2024
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The Biden administration, to be fair, had less time to deal with America’s deeper health issues, because it was forced to deal with at least a few calamities.Nicholas Florko, The Atlantic, 25 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near catastrophes
Cite this Entry
“Catastrophes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catastrophes. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
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