Word
cataclysm
Phoneticscat·a·clysm
US/ˈkætəˌkɫɪsəm/
UK/kˈætɐklˌɪzəm/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a sudden and violent event that causes great change or destruction. It can describe a natural disaster like a flood or a huge social change like a war.
n. a sudden, violent event that causes extensive damage or fundamental upheaval. Often used to describe geological disasters or major political and social shifts.
Examples
“The earthquake was a cataclysm that destroyed the entire city.”
“Historians argue that the sudden collapse of the empire was a cataclysm that reshaped the continent's borders for centuries.”
“The asteroid impact represented a biological cataclysm, triggering a mass extinction event that permanently altered the evolutionary trajectory of life on Earth.”
Examples
simple
“The earthquake was a cataclysm that destroyed the entire city.”
contextual
“Historians argue that the sudden collapse of the empire was a cataclysm that reshaped the continent's borders for centuries.”
complex
“The asteroid impact represented a biological cataclysm, triggering a mass extinction event that permanently altered the evolutionary trajectory of life on Earth.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “cataclysm” in context.
Verb
01. avert cataclysm
“Diplomatic efforts were intensified in a desperate bid to avert a global cataclysm.”
verb + noun
02. cataclysm looms
“As tensions rose along the border, the threat of a nuclear cataclysm loomed.”
noun + verb
03. cataclysm unfolds
“The world watched in horror as the humanitarian cataclysm unfolded in real time.”
noun + verb
04. precipitate cataclysm
“The assassination of the archduke served to precipitate a continental cataclysm.”
verb + noun
05. survive cataclysm
“Few species managed to survive the cataclysm that ended the Cretaceous period.”
verb + noun
Adjective
06. environmental cataclysm
“The oil spill was an environmental cataclysm that decimated local wildlife for decades.”
adj + noun
07. financial cataclysm
“The market crash of 1929 was a financial cataclysm that triggered the Great Depression.”
adj + noun
08. impending cataclysm
“Scientists warned of an impending cataclysm if the volcanic activity continued to escalate.”
adj + noun
09. seismic cataclysm
“The region was forever altered by a seismic cataclysm that reshaped the coastline.”
adj + noun
Noun
10. brink of cataclysm
“The failed negotiations brought the two nations to the very brink of cataclysm.”
noun + prep + noun
11. recover from the cataclysm
“It took the nation more than a century to fully recover from the cataclysm of the civil war.”
12. result in a cataclysm
“Failure to regulate the industry could result in a cataclysm for the entire economy.”
Usage
Frequently used in both literal geological contexts and figurative socio-political contexts.
Real-World Examples
“The cause of this cataclysm remains enigmatic, but it appears to have dramatically transformed the planet's surface, replacing it with a new layer.” “Or would an end-Anthropocene cataclysm damage it so badly that it becomes a sterile wasteland?” “But how were the dinosaurs faring before this cataclysm?” Etymology
The term entered English by way of the French cataclysme, which descends from the Latin cataclysmus. The root is the Ancient Greek κατακλυσμός (kataklusmós), meaning a deluge or flood, derived from the verb κατακλύζω (kataklúzō), to dash over or inundate. This is a compound of κατά (katá), signifying downwards or towards, and κλύζω (klúzō), to wash off or wash away. The imagery is one of water descending with sufficient force to ensure nothing remains where it was previously situated.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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