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catastrophe - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'catastrophe' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Catastrophe [ n.]
- An event producing a subversion of the order or system of things; a final event, usually of a calamitous or disastrous nature; hence, sudden calamity; great misfortune.
- The final event in a romance or a dramatic piece; a denouement, as a death in a tragedy, or a marriage in a comedy.
- A violent and widely extended change in the surface of the earth, as, an elevation or subsidence of some part of it, effected by internal causes.

Meaning of 'catastrophe' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . catastrophe [ n]
Meaning (1):
- a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
Example in sentence:
  • his policies were a disaster;
  • lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system
Meaning (2):
- an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
Example in sentence:
  • the earthquake was a disaster;
  • the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity

Nearby Words:

cat cat o' nine tails cat's-eye cat's-foot cat's-paw cat's-tail cat-eyed cat-harpin cat-harping cat-hole

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