variants
or cataclysmic
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a cataclysmal decision to plunge the nation into war
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a cataclysmal landslide that virtually wiped out the village
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in turbulent
marked by sudden or violent disturbance
the French Revolution was one of the great cataclysmal events in modern history
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysmal
Adjective
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Three campaigns stand out — one weirdly funny, one weirdly disastrous and one weirdly endearing.—
Steven Hyden,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025 -
Victor Kristiansen, January 2023 Similar to Faes, Kristiansen only knows a relegation dogfight in the Premier League after joining midway through the disastrous 2022-23 season.—
Rob Tanner,
The Athletic,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Turmoil continues in Haiti The Obama administration granted TPS to Haiti in 2010, after a devastating magnitude 7.1 earthquake destroyed the Haitian capital.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
22 Feb. 2025
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Bass cited Crowley’s response to last month’s devastating wildfires in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena neighborhoods that destroyed thousands of homes and killed 29 people.—
Ethan Millman,
Rolling Stone,
21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His childhood was turbulent—his parents' frequent fights sometimes turned physical, with his father directing his frustrations at young Gene.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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The 1999 killing Syed and Lee both attended Woodlawn High School and had dated, broken up, reunited and broken up again in a relationship an appeals court described as turbulent.—
Chloe Atkins,
NBC News,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Gordon Cordeiro had his freedom secured on Friday after a judge ordered him released in light of new DNA evidence that led to the overturning of his conviction in the 1994 fatal shooting of Timothy Blaisdell on the island of Maui.—
Landon Mion,
Fox News,
23 Feb. 2025
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Even a pencil tip amount of the synthetic opioid pain reliever drug can be fatal, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.—
Joe Marusak,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Cataclysmal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysmal. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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