Advertisement
Advertisement
catastrophe
[kuh-tas-truh-fee]
noun
a sudden and widespread disaster.
the catastrophe of war.
Synonyms: ,Antonyms:any misfortune, mishap, or failure; fiasco.
The play was so poor our whole evening was a catastrophe.
a final event or conclusion, usually an unfortunate one; a disastrous end.
the great catastrophe of the Old South at Appomattox.
Antonyms:(in a drama) the point at which the circumstances overcome the central motive, introducing the close or conclusion; dénouement.
Geology.a sudden, violent disturbance, especially of a part of the surface of the earth; cataclysm.
Also called catastrophe function.Mathematics.any of the mathematical functions that describe the discontinuities that are treated in catastrophe theory.
catastrophe
/ kəˈtæstrəfɪ, ˌkætəˈstrɒfɪk /
noun
a sudden, extensive, or notable disaster or misfortune
the denouement of a play, esp a classical tragedy
a final decisive event, usually causing a disastrous end
Also called: cataclysm.any sudden and violent change in the earth's surface caused by flooding, earthquake, or some other rapid process
Other Word Forms
- catastrophic adjective
- catastrophical adjective
- catastrophal adjective
- supercatastrophe noun
- ˌٲˈٰDZ adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of catastrophe1
Word History and Origins
Origin of catastrophe1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
"Right now, what we're seeing is a lot of rhetoric of catastrophe, either overpopulation or shrinking population, which leads to this kind of exaggerated response, and sometimes a manipulative response," says Dr Kanem.
Researchers are still grappling with the catastrophe’s full impact on marine mammal species.
Recounting scenes of catastrophe, local residents have told the BBC that they saw their homes and family members get washed away.
“We are squabbling and, rather, joking with my wife,” he told reporters, complaining that the incident was being overblown into “a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe.”
"This is a terrible human catastrophe and we must be able to tackle it," Orpo added.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse