Word
catastrophic
Phoneticscat·a·stroph·ic, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌkætəˈstɹɑfɪk/
UK/kˌætɐstɹˈɒfɪk/
Definitions
01causing great damage
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. causing a lot of damage or suffering, often very suddenly.
adj. involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering; often used in environmental, economic, or personal contexts.
“The heavy rains caused a catastrophic flood that destroyed many homes.”
“The sudden collapse of the dam led to catastrophic flooding in the valley, displacing thousands of residents within a matter of hours.”
Usage
Often used to modify nouns like 'failure', 'loss', or 'consequences'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02total failure
C1 · Advanced Technology Technical
adj. describing a complete and terrible failure from which it is hard to recover.
adj. denoting a failure that is total and typically irreversible; frequently applied to mechanical or systemic breakdowns.
“The rocket suffered a catastrophic engine failure shortly after it launched.”
“The IT department warned that a catastrophic server failure would result in the permanent loss of all unencrypted customer data.”
Usage
Common in engineering and computing to describe a system that stops working entirely.
Teaching tip
In technical contexts, this implies the system cannot be repaired or resumed without a total reset.
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“The last six years have seen several catastrophic fires in the West and Canada, Boudreaux said.” “Wild tigers have suffered a catastrophic century, with numbers falling from about 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century to about 5,500 today.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek καταστροφικός (katastrophikós). By surface analysis, catastrophe + -ic.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL 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: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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