cataclysm

/ˈkætəˌklɪzəm/
noun
  1. A sudden, violent event that causes great change or destruction, such as a flood, earthquake, or war.
    • The volcanic eruption was a natural cataclysm that buried several towns.
    • The earthquake was a cataclysm that destroyed the entire city.
    • Historians consider the world wars to be a cataclysm that reshaped global politics.
  2. A very big and sudden change or upheaval in someone's life or in society.
    • The company's bankruptcy was a financial cataclysm for all its employees.
    • The invention of the internet caused a cataclysm in how people communicate.
    • Losing his job felt like a personal cataclysm that turned his life upside down.
What does "cataclysm" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean