debacle

[ dee-bah-kuhl, dey-, duh-, -bak-uhl ]

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. Compare embacle def.
4. a violent rush of waters or ice.

debacle

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of debacle¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of debacle¹

C19: from French débâcle, from Old French desbacler to unbolt, ultimately from Latin baculum rod, staff

Example Sentences

The environment around England's last camp - when they lost to Greece at Wembley before beating Finland in Helsinki - was chaotic and unsatisfactory, with mixed messaging from Carsley when he appeared to question his own credentials for the job, then insisted he was not ruling himself out of the running only for the FA to reveal at Tuchel's Wembley unveiling that he had signed on the dotted line two days before the debacle against the side they face in Athens on Wednesday.

From BBC

Jack also followed the debacle with new merch with the phrase "Icky Trump."

From Salon

It would take more than a year and a half, and a shocking, late-in-the-game debate debacle, for Biden and the party to accept that his candidacy was untenable.

From Slate

Shortly after that debacle, two years ago this month, Trump announced his candidacy for president.

From Slate

Over the coming days, the owners of Four Seasons Total Landscaping did their patriotic duty and cashed in on their temporary notoriety, selling souvenirs to commemorate the fiasco; to Trump’s detractors, the debacle epitomized the clownish incompetence that had defined his presidency.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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