Cataclysmic
adjective
Relating to a catastrophic and destructive event.
The cataclysmic earthquake left the city in ruins.
Often appears as...
- cataclysmic event
- cataclysmic disaster
adjective
Significantly changing or damaging the status quo.
The cataclysmic revelation brought the government down.
Often appears as...
- cataclysmic changes
- cataclysmic effects
adjective
Relating to a catastrophic and destructive event.
The cataclysmic earthquake left the city in ruins.
Often appears as...
- cataclysmic event
- cataclysmic disaster
adjective
Significantly changing or damaging the status quo.
The cataclysmic revelation brought the government down.
Often appears as...
- cataclysmic changes
- cataclysmic effects
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Used to evoke strong feelings about the severity of an event.
Witnesses described the hurricane's landfall as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Hyperbolic
Sometimes exaggerates the impact when used in casual speech.
Their defeat in the sports championship was described as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 3/3Extremes Only
Appropriate for describing very large-scale disasters, not minor ones.
A cataclysmic volcanic eruption would affect global climate.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Used to evoke strong feelings about the severity of an event.
Witnesses described the hurricane's landfall as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Hyperbolic
Sometimes exaggerates the impact when used in casual speech.
Their defeat in the sports championship was described as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 3/3Extremes Only
Appropriate for describing very large-scale disasters, not minor ones.
A cataclysmic volcanic eruption would affect global climate.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Intensity
Used to evoke strong feelings about the severity of an event.
Witnesses described the hurricane's landfall as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 2/3Often Hyperbolic
Sometimes exaggerates the impact when used in casual speech.
Their defeat in the sports championship was described as cataclysmic.
Pro Tip 3/3Extremes Only
Appropriate for describing very large-scale disasters, not minor ones.
A cataclysmic volcanic eruption would affect global climate.
Compare with
apocalypticcalamitouscatastrophicdestructivedevastatedisastrousruinoustragic
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Video examples
Real life sunken cities...
Earthquakes are sudden, unpredictable disasters that have drowned cities in an instant. Luckily, however, throughout history, the majority of sunken cities were not submerged by a single cataclysmic event, but by a combination of more gradual processes.
Video examples
Why is biodiversity so...
Our planet's diverse thriving ecosystems may seem like permanent fixtures, but they're actually vulnerable to collapse. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can become lifeless rocks, even without cataclysmic events, like volcanoes and asteroids.
Video examples
How civilization could...
cataclysmic commons problems, in order to deal with the Type-2a vulnerabilities. Global governance is a term that's definitely way out of fashion right now, but could you make the case that throughout history, the history of humanity
Video examples
Where does gold come...
we have to gaze upwards at the stars. Gold is extraterrestrial. Instead of arising from the planet's rocky crust, it was actually cooked up in space and is present on Earth because of cataclysmic stellar explosions called supernovae.
Video examples
Fossil Record Mystery PIPE...
that a cataclysmic meteor impact were volcano left few survivors with little competition and plenty of room to grow another says that his countenance drifted apart the climate became more favorable to plant life the resulting
Video examples
Seven Wonders of the New...
The angriest voices had taken the world stage, preaching hatred and tribal division. The most cataclysmic war in history, which would take the lives of 16 million human beings, was only just beginning.
Video examples
Why is Mount Everest so...
The cataclysmic continental clash from which it arose made it huge to begin with. Secondly, the mountain lies near the tropics, so the snowline is high, and the glaciers relatively small,
Video examples
Supervolcanoes 101 PIPE...
and some of the world's largest geothermal features emerged. Supervolcanoes have created unparalleled natural beauty, all in the wake of some of the world's most cataclysmic events.
Video examples
Ancient Tsunami? PIPE The...
even today we battle against cataclysmic floods hurricanes tsunamis and monsoons submerge our cities atlantis has a chilling residence in our modern world
Video examples
Is Humanity The Next...
extinction events most were caused by cataclysmic volcanic eruptions it's not the lava or ash that wiped out life
Video examples
Real life sunken cities...
Earthquakes are sudden, unpredictable disasters that have drowned cities in an instant. Luckily, however, throughout history, the majority of sunken cities were not submerged by a single cataclysmic event, but by a combination of more gradual processes.
Video examples
Why is biodiversity so...
Our planet's diverse thriving ecosystems may seem like permanent fixtures, but they're actually vulnerable to collapse. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can become lifeless rocks, even without cataclysmic events, like volcanoes and asteroids.
Video examples
How civilization could...
cataclysmic commons problems, in order to deal with the Type-2a vulnerabilities. Global governance is a term that's definitely way out of fashion right now, but could you make the case that throughout history, the history of humanity
Video examples
Where does gold come...
we have to gaze upwards at the stars. Gold is extraterrestrial. Instead of arising from the planet's rocky crust, it was actually cooked up in space and is present on Earth because of cataclysmic stellar explosions called supernovae.
Video examples
Fossil Record Mystery PIPE...
that a cataclysmic meteor impact were volcano left few survivors with little competition and plenty of room to grow another says that his countenance drifted apart the climate became more favorable to plant life the resulting
Video examples
Seven Wonders of the New...
The angriest voices had taken the world stage, preaching hatred and tribal division. The most cataclysmic war in history, which would take the lives of 16 million human beings, was only just beginning.
Video examples
Why is Mount Everest so...
The cataclysmic continental clash from which it arose made it huge to begin with. Secondly, the mountain lies near the tropics, so the snowline is high, and the glaciers relatively small,
Video examples
Supervolcanoes 101 PIPE...
and some of the world's largest geothermal features emerged. Supervolcanoes have created unparalleled natural beauty, all in the wake of some of the world's most cataclysmic events.
Video examples
Ancient Tsunami? PIPE The...
even today we battle against cataclysmic floods hurricanes tsunamis and monsoons submerge our cities atlantis has a chilling residence in our modern world
Video examples
Is Humanity The Next...
extinction events most were caused by cataclysmic volcanic eruptions it's not the lava or ash that wiped out life
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Robert Lighthizer
American Public Servant
Unlike national legal systems, there are precious few avenues to address judicial activism at the WTO. You pretty much have to gain consensus to change the agreements, or simply withdraw from the system. The first is nearly impossible, and the second would be - in the view of many - cataclysmic.
Quote examples
Martha Beck
American Author
Ten years ago, I still feared loss enough to abandon myself in order to keep things stable. I'd smile when I was sad, pretend to like people who appalled me. What I now know is that losses aren't cataclysmic if they teach the heart and soul their natural cycle of breaking and healing.
Quote examples
Mark Zandi
American Economist
Defaulting on the nation's debt would be cataclysmic. The U.S. Treasury's Aaa rating is the one constant in the world's financial system. When times are bad anywhere on the planet, global investors flock to Treasury bonds because they know they will get their money back.
Quote examples
Bill de Blasio
American Politician
We not only need a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy that prevents the most cataclysmic consequences of global warming, we need real dollars and real planning for coastal protection to combat the consequences that are already inevitable.
Quote examples
Travis Bradberry
American Author
If you struggle with putting things into perspective, just ask yourself two simple questions: What's the worst thing that could happen as a result of this? Will this matter in five years? Your answers should put a stop to cataclysmic thinking.
Quote examples
James Levine
American Musician
Great cataclysmic things can go by and neither the orchestra nor the conductor are under the delusion that whether they make this or that gesture is going to be the deciding factor in how it comes out.
Quote examples
Tom Brokaw
American Journalist
I had this unusual mix of curiosity, the ability to write in ways people understood, and when I appeared, viewers seemed to trust me to get them through some cataclysmic changes.
Quote examples
John McDonnell
British Politician
Parties don't lose overnight, there is a gradual erosion of their base and electoral machine, which leads to sometimes cataclysmic defeat.
Quote examples
Jim Rohn
American Businessman
Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day.
Quote examples
Emmanuel Jal
Sudanese Musician
Violence in Darfur is cataclysmic.
Quote examples
Robert Lighthizer
American Public Servant
Unlike national legal systems, there are precious few avenues to address judicial activism at the WTO. You pretty much have to gain consensus to change the agreements, or simply withdraw from the system. The first is nearly impossible, and the second would be - in the view of many - cataclysmic.
Quote examples
Martha Beck
American Author
Ten years ago, I still feared loss enough to abandon myself in order to keep things stable. I'd smile when I was sad, pretend to like people who appalled me. What I now know is that losses aren't cataclysmic if they teach the heart and soul their natural cycle of breaking and healing.
Quote examples
Mark Zandi
American Economist
Defaulting on the nation's debt would be cataclysmic. The U.S. Treasury's Aaa rating is the one constant in the world's financial system. When times are bad anywhere on the planet, global investors flock to Treasury bonds because they know they will get their money back.
Quote examples
Bill de Blasio
American Politician
We not only need a rapid transition to a low-carbon economy that prevents the most cataclysmic consequences of global warming, we need real dollars and real planning for coastal protection to combat the consequences that are already inevitable.
Quote examples
Travis Bradberry
American Author
If you struggle with putting things into perspective, just ask yourself two simple questions: What's the worst thing that could happen as a result of this? Will this matter in five years? Your answers should put a stop to cataclysmic thinking.
Quote examples
James Levine
American Musician
Great cataclysmic things can go by and neither the orchestra nor the conductor are under the delusion that whether they make this or that gesture is going to be the deciding factor in how it comes out.
Quote examples
Tom Brokaw
American Journalist
I had this unusual mix of curiosity, the ability to write in ways people understood, and when I appeared, viewers seemed to trust me to get them through some cataclysmic changes.
Quote examples
John McDonnell
British Politician
Parties don't lose overnight, there is a gradual erosion of their base and electoral machine, which leads to sometimes cataclysmic defeat.
Quote examples
Jim Rohn
American Businessman
Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event. You don't fail overnight. Instead, failure is a few errors in judgement, repeated every day.
Quote examples
Emmanuel Jal
Sudanese Musician
Violence in Darfur is cataclysmic.
Example 1 of 10
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