catastrophic

[ kat-uh-strof-ik ]

adjective

1. of the nature of a catastrophe, or disastrous event; calamitous:

   a catastrophic failure of the dam.

Other Words From

• cata·strophi·cal·ly adverb
• noncat·a·strophic adjective
• noncat·a·strophi·cal·ly adverb
• super·cata·strophic adjective
• uncat·a·strophic adjective
• uncat·a·strophi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of catastrophic¹

First recorded in 1820–30; from Greek katastrophikós, equivalent to catastroph(e) ( def ) + -ic ( def )

Example Sentences

But to reduce or suspend funding for research into infectious diseases that can have an acute impact on public health, as though all this research is part of a zero-sum game, would be catastrophic.

From Los Angeles Times

Days before the election, McCoy had preached that if Trump lost “life is going to take on catastrophic conditions” because of the evil espoused by the left.

From Los Angeles Times

A potentially catastrophic super typhoon has made landfall in the Philippines - the sixth typhoon to hit the country in a month.

From BBC

She had “catastrophic childhood epilepsy,” the neurologist had told him, and a drug not yet available in the U.S. was their best bet to treat her nonstop seizures.

From Los Angeles Times

Elijah died three days later on 5 January with fatal head injuries that were described in court as "catastrophic".

From BBC

Related Words

• calamitous
• cataclysmic
• disastrous
• fatal
• ruinous
• tragic