1
as in flood
a great flow of water or of something that overwhelms
an ancient cataclysm that may have been the basis for the Flood described in the Bible
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
the earthquake that struck Lisbon in 1755, killing 30,000 people, was one of the greatest cataclysms ever recorded
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in upheaval
a violent disturbance (as of the political or social order)
a social cataclysm that gave rise to a new world order
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Recent Examples of cataclysm
At the universe's grandest scales, galaxy clusters collide in slow-motion cataclysms, leaving behind immense, ghostly arcs — vast ribbons of diffuse radio emissions that can stretch across millions of light-years.
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Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 21 Nov. 2025
The first of his three marriages, which took place in 1967, was a cataclysm, and inebriation played its part.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
Every year, come rain or shine or strike or global cataclysm, Slow Horses delivers a new season.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2025
The travelers that interested her were not those seeking plain or ordinary pleasures but those chasing a profound personal cataclysm.
—Nicole Flattery, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cataclysm
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cataclysm
Noun
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And while short styles dominated the flood of vintage hair looks at the 2026 Golden Globes, Sinners actor Hailee Steinfeld proved that long hair can pack just as much nostalgia.—
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Meanwhile, flood protection has dipped to a 70-year level, far below the 250-year level of protection envisioned in the project authorization, according to the news release.—
Noun
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More than a year after the disaster, which killed all but two people on board, much is still unclear about why the passenger jet crash landed.—
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The councilwoman emphasized that every neighborhood in Los Angeles is just one disaster from devastation.—
Noun
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These are among the many questions posed by Simon Morrison’s sprawling biography of place, which seeks to understand a nation through the life of its largest city, tracing Moscow’s evolution via dozens of historical upheavals, from war, famine, drought, and much, much more.—
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It’s been a big year of upheaval for Allen, who split from ex David Harbour in February, per People.—
Noun
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The statement comes as xAI faces a torrent of criticism from government regulators around the world in connection to images produced by its Grok software over the past several days.—
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Residents had to frantically flee their homes as a torrent of debris rushed through town and encased homes and cars in feet of mud.—
Noun
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The young republic’s survival hinged on distancing itself from a Europe convulsed by revolution and war.—
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One early muse-like figure is Martin Luther, who in 1524 sparked a revolution by challenging the church’s influence on commerce.—
Noun
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Netflix 'The Life of Chuck' Based on the Stephen King novella, director Mike Flanagan's supremely joyous character study – the best movie of 2025 – involves an apocalypse, multiple dance extravaganzas and a haunted attic.—
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That goal is seemingly the only hope for humanity against the decay of everything around them and the increasingly violent nature of many remaining humans (think early Mad Max apocalypse sensibility).—
Noun
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Insurance expert Karl Susman said the cost of earthquake insurance depends on multiple factors, including the home itself, when it was built, where it's located, and whether it's bolted.—
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Based on the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, this story highlights the struggles of a diverse group of women who come together to survive more than the destruction of their city.—
Noun
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The present-day Red Sox are on the other side of that rebuild, and have no legs on which to stand in this entirely avoidable calamity of losing both Devers and Bregman.—
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We are told that only about 40% of the housing units are now occupied and seldom does a week or so go by without some housing calamity taking place.—
Cite this Entry
“Cataclysm.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cataclysm. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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