catastrophist

/kəˈtæstrəfɪst/
adjective
  1. Relating to or characteristic of catastrophism or a catastrophist.
    • The article took a catastrophist approach to climate change, predicting immediate collapse.
    • His catastrophist view of history emphasizes sudden disasters over gradual change.
    • She has a catastrophist mindset, always preparing for the worst possible outcome.
noun
  1. A person who believes in the scientific theory of catastrophism, that the Earth's features were formed by sudden, violent events.
    • In the 19th century, catastrophists debated with uniformitarians about how fossils formed.
    • Modern catastrophists point to asteroid impacts as evidence for sudden mass extinctions.
    • The catastrophist argued that a massive flood created the Grand Canyon.
  2. A person who habitually expects or predicts disastrous outcomes; a pessimist who focuses on worst-case scenarios.
    • Don't be such a catastrophist — a small mistake doesn't mean the whole project will fail.
    • The financial catastrophist warned that the stock market would crash any day.
    • My friend is a catastrophist who always thinks the worst will happen.
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