adj
cataclysmic
ka-tuh-KLIHZ-mihk
adj
1
Causing or resembling a cataclysm; extremely destructive or disastrous.
"The flood had a cataclysmic effect on the town's infrastructure."
How to Use Cataclysmic
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes something on the scale of a cataclysm — hugely destructive.
Common pairings
cataclysmic event
cataclysmic failure
Word Forms
more cataclysmic comparative, most cataclysmic superlative
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The flood had a _____ effect on the town's infrastructure.
Etymology
From cataclysm plus the adjective suffix -ic.