debacle

American  

[dey-, -bak-uhl, duh-, dee-bah-kuhl] / deɪ-, -ˈbæk əl, də-, diˈbɑ kəl /

noun

1. a general breakup or dispersion; sudden downfall or rout.

   The revolution ended in a debacle.

2. a complete collapse or failure.

   Synonyms:

   calamity, catastrophe, fiasco, ruin, disaster

3. a breaking up of ice in a river.

4. a violent rush of waters or ice.

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debacle British  

/ deɪˈbɑːkəl, dɪ- /

noun

1. a sudden disastrous collapse or defeat, esp one involving a disorderly retreat; rout

2. the breaking up of ice in a river during spring or summer, often causing flooding

3. a violent rush of water carrying along debris

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Etymology

Origin of debacle

1795–1805; < French débâcle, derivative of débâcler to unbar, clear, equivalent to dé- dis- ¹ + bâcler to bar ≪ Latin baculum stick, rod

Example Sentences

With the city facing multiple lawsuits over the billing debacle, Clark helped oversee a friendly class-action lawsuit against the city, the judge found.

From Los Angeles Times

Over the following months, he ousted national security adviser Mike Waltz, an architect of the maritime ambitions, because of an unrelated debacle.

From The Wall Street Journal

If there were any event in figure skating that was going to descend into a judging debacle, it was always going to be ice dance.

From The Wall Street Journal

A judge recently acknowledged there was a mistake and ordered their release, but the debacle has left Torres, a hospitality worker, devastated.

From Barron's

Air traffic controllers, who have clashed with YPA for years over staff and infrastructure shortages, insist that the January 4 incident was a debacle waiting to happen.

From Barron's

Related Words

• beating
• breakdown
• collapse
• crash
• defeat
• devastation
• disaster
• downfall
• drubbing
• failure
• fiasco
• reversal
• rout
• wreck