catastrophic
Beyond mere failure
Catastrophic describes disasters or failures of the worst magnitude.
A catastrophic earthquake devastates a region.
A catastrophic illness is one that overwhelms a family's resources.
Catastrophic thinking anticipates the worst possible outcome.
The word implies not just damage but damage so severe that recovery is difficult or impossible.
Severe widespread destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- havocWidespread destruction and chaos
- ruinComplete destruction or collapse
wreckage · tragedy · cataclysm · holocaust · ruination · carnage · desolation · ravage
Prophesied world's end
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- end-timesProphesied concluding era
- ArmageddonProphesied ultimate conflict
Ragnarok · apocalypse · world-ending · obliteration · extermination · cataclysm · Revelation · eschatology
Sudden structural failure
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
- debacleSudden, complete failure
fiasco · bankruptcy · downfall · crash · disintegration · system failure · chain reaction · cascade
devastation
Severe widespread destruction
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- calamitySevere misfortune or disaster
- havocWidespread destruction and chaos
ruin · wreckage · tragedy · cataclysm · holocaust · ruination · carnage · desolation · ravage · wasteland
doomsday
Prophesied world's end
- extinctionComplete vanishing of a species
- annihilationUtter, complete destruction
- end-timesProphesied concluding era
Armageddon · Ragnarok · apocalypse · world-ending · obliteration · extermination · cataclysm · Revelation · eschatology · omega
collapse
Sudden structural failure
- meltdownCatastrophic loss of control
- implosionViolent collapse inward
- breakdownFailure or decomposition
debacle · fiasco · bankruptcy · downfall · crash · disintegration · system failure · chain reaction · cascade · malfunction
earthquake
Seismic ground movement
wildfire · volcanic eruption · typhoon · cyclone · tornado · pandemic · famine · drought · asteroid impact · landslide
shock
Violent sudden disturbance
- traumaLasting psychological wound
- PTSDChronic reaction to horrific events
- survivorOne still alive after
grief · anguish · devastation · loss · suffering · wound · nightmare · recovery · aftermath · victim
- Mercalli Scalefeeble, slight, moderate, strong, destructive
- dramatic tonesintense, tense, suspenseful, ominous, foreboding
- insurance typeshealth, dental, life, vision, home
- destroyeddestroyed, demolished, annihilated, obliterated, decimated
- outcomesoutcome, win, effect, impact, success
- volcano wordsactive, dormant, extinct, molten, eruptive
catastrophicharmless
Causing no injury
benign · innocuous · negligible · inconsequential · trivial
catastrophicfortunate
Enjoying favorable circumstances
beneficial · auspicious · propitious · lucky · providential
catastrophicauspicious
Indicating future success
promising · hopeful · propitious · encouraging · optimistic
- climate catastropheSevere worldwide environmental breakdown
- catastrophic floodingSevere water overflow causing destruction
- catastrophic eventsSeverely damaging large-scale occurrences
- catastrophic lossSevere irreversible damage
catastrophe, catastrophes, catastrophically, catastrophism, catastrophist, catastrophizing, catastrophize, catastrophizes, catastrophized