catastrophe
gb/kətˈæstɹəfi/ us/kətˈæstɹəfi/
B2
Inglés
~ 6800
katasztrófa, tragikus végkifejlet
SUSTANTIVO
B2
1
katasztrófa
B1
Patrón de uso:
a catastrophe for [someone/something]
Scientists warn that unchecked climate change could lead to a global catastrophe.
A tudósok arra figyelmeztetnek, hogy a fékezetlen klímaváltozás globális katasztrófához vezethet.
The earthquake was a human and economic catastrophe for the entire region.
A földrengés emberi és gazdasági katasztrófa volt az egész régió számára.
War in this area would be an unimaginable catastrophe for millions of people.
Thanks to quick action by firefighters, a major catastrophe was avoided.
The dam collapse turned the quiet valley into a flooding catastrophe overnight.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The flood was a catastrophe for the small town.
Az árvíz katasztrófa volt a kisváros számára.
Losing the main water supply would be a catastrophe for the city.
Ha megszűnne a fő vízellátás, az katasztrófa lenne a város számára.
The plane crash was a national catastrophe.
Without help, the drought could become a real catastrophe.
The fire in the hospital was a terrible catastrophe.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say *"It was catastrophe"* without an article; in most cases you must say *"a catastrophe"*. They may also confuse the noun *"catastrophe"* with the adjective *"catastrophic"* (e.g., *"a catastrophic event"* vs. *"a catastrophe"*).
Significado
very serious disaster or tragedy
Colocaciones
natural catastrophe
|economic catastrophe
|environmental catastrophe
|humanitarian catastrophe
|avert a catastrophe
|potential catastrophe
Sinónimos
disaster (Very close in meaning; slightly more common and can be used for both large and smaller bad events.)
|
calamity (More formal or literary; often suggests long-lasting suffering.)
|
tragedy (Focuses more on deep human suffering or loss, not always on physical destruction.)
Antónimos
blessing (Emphasizes that something brings great good instead of great harm.)
Temas
nature
|society
|safety
|emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definición
A very bad event that suddenly hurts or destroys many people, places, or things.
An event that causes very great and sudden damage, suffering, or destruction, often on a large scale.
SUSTANTIVO
B2
2
katasztrófa
B1
Patrón de uso:
a [type] catastrophe for [someone/something]
The product launch was a total catastrophe, with technical problems from start to finish.
A termékbevezetés teljes katasztrófa volt: az elejétől a végéig technikai problémák adódtak.
My attempt to cook dinner for ten people ended in catastrophe.
Katasztrófába torkollott az a próbálkozásom, hogy tíz embernek főzzek vacsorát.
If we publish this report without checking the data, it could be a public relations catastrophe.
The wedding photos were a catastrophe because the photographer forgot to charge the batteries.
Without a backup plan, the event could easily turn into a catastrophe.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The party was a catastrophe, and many guests went home early.
A buli katasztrófa volt, és sok vendég korán hazament.
My exam was a catastrophe because I did not study.
A vizsgám katasztrófa volt, mert nem tanultam.
The meeting became a catastrophe when the computer stopped working.
Her first day at work was a bit of a catastrophe.
The trip was a catastrophe from the very beginning.
Error frecuente:
Learners may overuse this stronger word for small problems. In everyday speech, *"problem"*, *"issue"*, or *"mess"* are more natural for minor situations. *"Catastrophe"* often sounds like a very serious or dramatic failure, even when used jokingly.
Significado
complete failure or total mess
Colocaciones
a complete catastrophe
|a social catastrophe
|a PR catastrophe
|hair catastrophe
|the meeting was a catastrophe
|turned into a catastrophe
Sinónimos
fiasco (Often more informal and humorous, usually for plans or events that fail in an embarrassing way.)
|
debacle (More formal; suggests a sudden and complete failure, often in business or politics.)
|
mess (Much more informal and general; can describe any badly organized or failed situation, not always as strong.)
Antónimos
success (Direct opposite in terms of outcome; something that goes very well instead of very badly.)
Temas
daily life
|emotions
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definición
A thing or event that goes very badly and becomes a total failure.
A situation or event that turns out extremely badly or is completely ruined, often used in an exaggerated or humorous way.
SUSTANTIVO
C1
LITERARY
3
Patrón de uso:
the catastrophe of [a play/story]
In classical tragedy, the catastrophe is often the death of the hero.
A klasszikus tragédiában a katasztrófát gyakran a hős halála jelenti.
The play builds slowly toward its inevitable catastrophe in the final act.
A darab lassan építkezik az utolsó felvonásban bekövetkező elkerülhetetlen tragikus végkifejlet felé.
Scholars disagree about whether the duel should be seen as the true catastrophe of the drama.
The catastrophe of the tragedy leaves the stage littered with bodies and broken hopes.
Without a convincing catastrophe, the audience feels no real sense of tragic completion.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
In this old play, the catastrophe happens when the king is killed.
Ebben a régi darabban a katasztrófa akkor következik be, amikor megölik a királyt.
The catastrophe of the story comes in the last chapter.
A történet tragikus végkifejlete az utolsó fejezetben következik be.
Students studied the catastrophe in several Greek tragedies.
The writer planned the catastrophe before he wrote the beginning.
In many tragedies, the catastrophe is very violent.
Error frecuente:
Learners may not recognize this as a special literary term and may confuse it with the general meaning of *catastrophe* as any disaster. In literature classes, it refers specifically to the final disastrous event that ends the plot.
Significado
final disastrous ending in tragedy
Colocaciones
the play's catastrophe
|the tragedy's catastrophe
|approach the catastrophe
|classical catastrophe
|Aristotelian catastrophe
Sinónimos
denouement (A more general literary term for the final part of a story; not always disastrous, unlike *catastrophe* in this sense.)
Antónimos
resolution (Focuses on the solving of conflicts, which may or may not be disastrous; contrasted with the destructive focus of *catastrophe*.)
Temas
literature
|art
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definición
In serious plays or stories, the last terrible event that ends the story and destroys the main characters.
In literary theory, the final disastrous event in a tragedy that brings the plot to its conclusion, usually involving the downfall or death of the main characters.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
catastrophe
AFI
GB/kətˈæstɹəfi/
US/kətˈæstɹəfi/
Sílabas y acento
cata - strophe (2 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (strophe)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: catastrophe
- Plural: catastrophes
Familia de palabras
Forms
catastrophes
noun
Core family
catastrophic
adjective C1
catastrophically
adverb C1
Advanced or less common
catastrophize
verb
Expresiones
a recipe for catastrophe
1/ə ɹˈɛsəpi fɚ kətˈæstɹəfi/
idiom
something sure to cause disaster
A situation or plan that is very likely to lead to a very bad result.
Ejemplos
- Cutting staff and increasing working hours is a recipe for catastrophe.
- Leaving children alone with fireworks is a recipe for catastrophe.
- Poor planning and no backup is a recipe for catastrophe.
avert a catastrophe
1/əvˈɚt ə kətˈæstɹəfi/
fixed phrase
to prevent a disaster
To stop a very bad event from happening.
Ejemplos
- Early evacuation helped avert a catastrophe in the coastal towns.
- If we act now, we may still avert a catastrophe for the company.
- International cooperation is needed to avert a climate catastrophe.
court catastrophe
1/kˈɔɹt kətˈæstɹəfi/
fixed phrase
literary
risk causing a disaster
To behave in a way that makes a very bad event more likely.
Ejemplos
- By ignoring the warnings, the company is courting catastrophe.
- Drivers who text on the highway are courting catastrophe.
- To delay action on the virus is to court catastrophe.
end in catastrophe
1/ˈɛnd ˈɪn kətˈæstɹəfi/
fixed phrase
to result in disaster
To finish in a very bad and damaging way.
Ejemplos
- Ignoring safety rules can make even a simple task end in catastrophe.
- Their risky investment ended in catastrophe when the market crashed.
- The rescue attempt nearly ended in catastrophe because of the storm.
on the brink of catastrophe
1/ˈɔn ðə bɹˈɪŋk əv kətˈæstɹəfi/
fixed phrase
very close to disaster
Very close to a very bad event happening.
Ejemplos
- The country was on the brink of catastrophe after years of economic mismanagement.
- Without urgent repairs, the old bridge could put the city on the brink of catastrophe.
- They felt their marriage was on the brink of catastrophe.