cataclysm
World-altering disaster
A cataclysm is a violent upheaval or disaster on a massive scale.
The word applies to catastrophic natural events—floods, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions—and to social or political convulsions: The French Revolution was a cataclysm that reshaped European politics.
The adjective cataclysmic describes anything sudden, violent, and transformative: cataclysmic climate change, cataclysmic consequences.
Severe widespread destruction
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- ruinationState of complete destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
- havocWidespread destruction and chaos
wreckage · carnage · ravage · demolition · decimation · desolation · ruin · collapse
Seismic ground movement
- tsunamiSeismic sea surge
- volcanoEarth's fiery vent
- eruptionViolent sudden release
- floodOverwhelming water overflow
hurricane · tornado · cyclone · typhoon · avalanche · landslide · wildfire · inferno
Prophesied world's end
- end-timesProphesied concluding era
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- prophecyForetelling of future events
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
tribulation · rapture · eschatology · antichrist · millenarianism · perdition · apocalypse · extinction
Violent governmental overthrow
- overthrowForcible removal from power
- collapseSudden structural failure
- downfallSudden loss of power
- coupAbrupt seizure of power
rebellion · uprising · insurrection · revolt · reformation · shake-up · displacement · disruption
Profound biological restructuring
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
- renewalMaking current again
- watershedDrainage area boundary
- sea-changeRadical, sweeping transformation
reset · overhaul · emergence · breakthrough · genesis · epoch · reinvention
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- ruinationState of complete destruction
- obliterationTotal destruction or erasure
havoc · wreckage · carnage · ravage · demolition · decimation · desolation · ruin · collapse · catastrophe
earthquake
Seismic ground movement
flood · hurricane · tornado · cyclone · typhoon · avalanche · landslide · wildfire · inferno · deluge
doomsday
Prophesied world's end
- end-timesProphesied concluding era
- revelationSurprising disclosed truth
- prophecyForetelling of future events
judgment · tribulation · rapture · eschatology · antichrist · millenarianism · perdition · apocalypse · extinction · annihilation
revolution
Violent governmental overthrow
coup · rebellion · uprising · insurrection · revolt · reformation · shake-up · displacement · disruption
metamorphosis
Profound biological restructuring
sea-change · reset · overhaul · emergence · breakthrough · genesis · epoch · reinvention
- disastersdisaster, earthquake, earthquakes, catastrophe, floods
- catastrophesdisasters, disaster, natural disasters, catastrophe, apocalypse
- destructiondestruction, destroying, demolishing, devastation, ruination
- doomdoomsday, impending doom, doom and gloom, doomed, sense of doom
- Post-Apocalypsewasteland, fallout, survivors, apocalypse, collapse
- Atlantislost city, lost continent, sunken city, Plato, Poseidon
cataclysmstability
Resistance to displacement
calm · tranquility · equilibrium · continuity · peace
- cataclysmic eventsDisasters causing massive sudden change