cataclysm — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A sudden, violent event.

   Examples

   More examples (2)

   While the disaster capitalism complex does not deliberately scheme to create cataclysms on which it feeds (though Iraq may be a notable exception), there is plenty of evidence that its component industries work very hard indeed to make that current disastrous trends continue unchallenged.

   Judging by the sedimentary composition of the crust, it appears that Altaaya once possessed an atmosphere thick enough to support some form of liquid. What cataclysm stripped the atmosphere and left the planet to freeze is not currently known.

2. A sudden and violent change in the earth's crust.

3. A great flood.

Noun

1. a sudden violent change in the earth's surface

   Synonyms

   catastrophe

   Broader terms

   geological phenomenon

2. an event resulting in great loss and misfortune

   Synonyms

   calamitycatastrophedisastertragedy

   Broader terms

   misfortunebad luck

   Examples

   the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity

   the earthquake was a disaster