cataclysm

noun

cat·​a·​clysm ˈka-tə-ˌkli-zəm 

1

: flood, deluge

2

: catastrophe sense 3a

3

: a momentous and violent event marked by overwhelming upheaval and demolition

broadly : an event that brings great changes

an international economic cataclysm

cataclysmal

ˌka-tə-ˈkliz-məl 

adjective

or cataclysmic

ˌka-tə-ˈkliz-mik 

cataclysmically

ˌka-tə-ˈkliz-mi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms

• alluvion
• bath
• cataract
• deluge
• flood
• flood tide
• inundation
• Niagara
• overflow
• spate
• torrent

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

In echoes of what contemporary Americans would face with Y2K 117 years later, some people feared the time change would bring a cataclysm. —Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 18 Nov. 2024

There will be serious Democratic infighting The result is a cataclysm for Democrats. —Niall Stanage, The Hill, 6 Nov. 2024

That is a popular question among a cohort of Americans who are convinced of a coming cataclysm between violent factions in the country—and who are readying themselves for it. —Clare Malone, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024

The latter are ripples in the literal fabric of spacetime itself, created by cosmic cataclysms like black holes colliding. —Michael Irving, New Atlas, 8 Sep. 2024

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

Kids Definition

cataclysm

noun

cat·​a·​clysm ˈkat-ə-ˌkliz-əm 

1

: a great flood

2

: a violent and destructive natural event (as an earthquake)

3

: a violent social or political change

cataclysmal

ˌkat-ə-ˈkliz-məl 

adjective

or cataclysmic

-mik