catastrophe
noun/kəˈtæstrəfi/
/kəˈtæstrəfi/
- a sudden event that causes many people to suffer synonym disaster
- Early warnings of rising water levels prevented another major catastrophe.
Extra Examples- The country is on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe.
- These policies could lead the country to environmental catastrophe.
- moves to avert a national catastrophe
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- big
- complete
- …
- be
- cause
- lead (something) to
- …
- happen
- occur
- strike
- …
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- an event that causes one person or a group of people to suffer, or that makes difficulties
- The attempt to expand the business was a catastrophe for the firm.
- We've had a few catastrophes with the food for the party.
Extra Examples- It wouldn't be a catastrophe if he didn't turn up.
- The verdict of this hearing is a personal and professional catastrophe for her.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- absolute
- big
- complete
- …
- be
- cause
- lead (something) to
- …
- happen
- occur
- strike
- …
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘denouement’): from Latin catastropha, from Greek katastrophē ‘overturning, sudden turn’, from kata- ‘down’ + strophē ‘turning’ (from strephein ‘to turn’).
Check pronunciation:
catastrophe