catastrophe Definition
ca·tas·tro·phe (kə tas′trə fē)
noun
- the culminating event of a drama, esp. of a tragedy, by which the plot is resolved; denouement
- a disastrous end, bringing overthrow or ruin
- any great and sudden calamity, disaster, or misfortune
- a total or ignominious failure
- Geol. a sudden, violent change, such as an earthquake
Etymology: L catastropha < Gr katastrophē, an overthrowing < katastrephein, to overturn < kata-, down + strephein, to turn: see strophe
catastrophe Related Forms
catastrophe Synonyms
catastrophe
n.
Antonyms
catastrophe Usage Examples
Converse of object
- avert: I had no real sense of a great catastrophe averted.
- loom: Prior to our forming a government, we will fight tooth and nail against the looming catastrophe of forced integration within secondary schools.
- prevent: In the process every conventional doctrine about markets was amended to prevent catastrophe.
- survive: The USSR will not survive this unprecedented catastrophe ( .. .
- spell: This will spell further catastrophe for many hard working families.
- avoid: To avoid such catastrophes who can the budding business entrepreneur turn to for help?
Adjective modifier
- humanitarian: The reason for the bombing was the humanitarian catastrophe brought about by the bombing in the first place.
- impending: Are such concessions not totally disproportionate to the extent of the impending catastrophe to which you have alluded?
- ecological: The greatest ecological catastrophes have occurred through the introduction of alien species.
- cosmic: In it is an illustration of his idea that the ancients were visited upon by cosmic catastrophes often.
- imminent: When I began these experiments my motivation was our fear of an imminent ecological catastrophe and a nuclear war in Europe.
- man-made: By any measure, the Second World War was the greatest man-made catastrophe of all time.
Preposition: on
scale: That is a catastrophe on the scale of the tsunami every week.
Modifies a noun
- reinsurance: Prudential financial inc senior managers for decades determine in advance loss catastrophe reinsurance.
- theory: We cannot just retrace out steps, we may have to follow the system trajectory; the breaking of the wave in catastrophe theory.
- bond: They also suggest the development of new instruments such as weather derivatives and catastrophe bonds.
- strike: You can't plan for them all but getting your finances into a manageable state now could stave off real problems should catastrophe strike.
Preposition: of
proportion: This truly has turned into a catastrophe of immense proportion.
Noun used with modifier
Browse dictionary entries near catastrophe
- ‹ catastasis
- ‹ catarrhine
- ‹ catarrh
- ‹ cataract
- ‹ catapult
- ‹ cataplasm
- ‹ cataplasia
- ‹ cataphyll
- ‹ cataphoresis
- ‹ Catanzaro
- catastrophism ›
- catatonia ›
- catawampus ›
- Catawba ›
- catbird ›
- catbird seat ›
- catboat ›
- catcall ›
- catch ›
- Catch-22 ›

