Debacle
A sudden and complete failure or fiasco; a chaotic collapse of a plan or event
nounDebacle
A sudden and complete failure or fiasco; a chaotic collapse of a plan or event
nounImagine This
Imagine organizing a flawless charity gala. Just as the countdown ends, the microphone crackles, the projector fails, and then the host announces the wrong agenda. The event spirals into confusion and embarrassment, a clear debacle.
Sounds Like
dih-BAK-uhl
Looks Like
Looks like 'debate' with an extra syllable; similar rhythm and a prefix 'de-'
Remember This
Debacle conveys a public, notable failure, not just a minor mistake; it often implies a dramatic or chaotic end result.
Other Forms
Connect With
fiasco, disaster, collapse, catastrophe, failure
Note
Avoid using debacle for small errors or routine setbacks. Reserve it for major, public, or highly visible failures. It is stronger than 'failure' or 'mistake' and similar to 'fiasco'.
Study Deeper
- The product launch turned into a debacle after a software bug caused the live demo to crash.
- The charity gala became a debacle when the speaker canceled last minute and the sound system failed.
From French débâcle, meaning a breaking up or collapse (originally referring to the breaking up of ice on a river), extended figuratively to any sudden collapse or disaster.
DE-BACK-UL: Think of a plan that buckles under pressure. A debacle is what happens when plans de-buckle and collapse into chaos.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Catastrophe
nounA sudden, widespread disaster or misfortune; a complete collapse or breakdown of a system, event, or plan.
Abasement
nounThe act or instance of humiliating or degrading someone; the state of being lowered in dignity or status.
Absurdity
nounThe quality or state of being wildly unreasonable, illogical, or ridiculous; something that is completely contrary to reason or common sense.
Accent
nounA distinctive way of pronouncing words; the act of emphasizing a syllable or word (as a verb, to accent means to emphasize).
Accolade
nounAn honor; a public expression of praise or an award.
Acrimony
nounBitterness of speech or manner; ill feeling