catastrophic

cat-a-stroph-ic · adjective

imported

Definitions

adjective

  1. 1.

    Involving or causing sudden great damage or suffering.

  2. 2.

    Extremely harmful or unsuccessful.

Phrases & expressions

  • •
    catastrophic failure — complete and sudden breakdown
  • •
    catastrophic event — a major disaster
  • •
    catastrophic injury — severe, life-altering harm

Related words

Antonyms: beneficial, fortunate, minor
See also: calamitous, catastrophe, devastating, disastrous
Synonyms: calamitous, cataclysmic, devastating, disastrous, ruinous

Etymology

From Greek katastrophe ("overturning") with the adjectival suffix -ic. The word emphasizes the sudden and severe nature of disaster.