Catastrophe
A sudden, widespread disaster or misfortune; a complete collapse or breakdown of a system, event, or plan.
nounCatastrophe
A sudden, widespread disaster or misfortune; a complete collapse or breakdown of a system, event, or plan.
nounImagine This
Imagine a coastal city battered by a huge hurricane: homes topple, floods rise, and emergency crews race through rubble as sirens wailβthis is a catastrophe.
Sounds Like
kuh-TAS-truh-fee
Looks Like
Related visually to the word 'catastrophic'; rooted in the Greek katastrophΔ (downward turning)
Remember This
Catastrophe is used for large-scale disasters or total failures. The adjective form is catastrophic; the adverb is catastrophically.
Other Forms
Connect With
disaster, calamity, crisis, debacle, ruin, collapse
Note
Reserve catastrophe for major disasters or failures. Do not confuse with 'calamity' (a synonym) or with more minor problems. Distinguish between noun (catastrophe) and adjective/adverb forms (catastrophic, catastrophically).