cataclysmic

or cat·a·clys·mal

[ kat-uh-kliz-mik ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resulting from a cataclysm.
2. of the nature of, or having the effect of, a cataclysm:

   cataclysmic changes.

Other Words From

• cata·clysmi·cal·ly adverb
• noncat·a·clysmal adjective
• noncat·a·clysmic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cataclysmic¹

First recorded in 1850–55; cataclysm + -ic

Example Sentences

It's undeniable that the last several years have been a cataclysmic era of significant advancements for gender equality.

From Salon

When Carson walked away from “The Tonight Show” in 1992, it was a cataclysmic cultural event.

From Los Angeles Times

Mayer took his own crazed solo, followed by Stills, and then Young closed with a final flurry of notes, flailing and cataclysmic, as always.

From Los Angeles Times

Forest Service, the National Park Service and California State Parks ought to do when conditions are predictably ripe for cataclysmic fire: Close their forests.

From Los Angeles Times

The British imperial age emerged from the cataclysmic Napoleonic Wars that unleashed the transformative power of England’s innovations in industry and global finance.

From Salon

Related Words

• calamitous
• catastrophic
• disastrous
• fatal
• ruinous
• tragic