catastrophe
gb/kətˈæstɹəfi/ us/kətˈæstɹəfi/
B2
Kiingereza
~ 6800
Maana
maana 0
Nomino
B2
event
1
very serious disaster or tragedy
A very bad event that suddenly hurts or destroys many people, places, or things.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a catastrophe for [someone/something]
Kosa la kawaida:
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"*).
Visawe
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.)
Vinyume
blessing (Emphasizes that something brings great good instead of great harm.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
natural catastrophe
|economic catastrophe
|environmental catastrophe
|humanitarian catastrophe
|avert a catastrophe
|potential catastrophe
Mada
nature
|society
|safety
|emotions
|health
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- Scientists warn that unchecked climate change could lead to a global catastrophe.
- The earthquake was a human and economic catastrophe for the entire region.
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The flood was a catastrophe for the small town.
- Losing the main water supply would be a catastrophe for the city.
- 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.
Nomino
B2
event
2
complete failure or total mess
A thing or event that goes very badly and becomes a total failure.
Muundo wa matumizi:
a [type] catastrophe for [someone/something]
Kosa la kawaida:
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.
Visawe
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.)
Vinyume
success (Direct opposite in terms of outcome; something that goes very well instead of very badly.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
a complete catastrophe
|a social catastrophe
|a PR catastrophe
|hair catastrophe
|the meeting was a catastrophe
|turned into a catastrophe
Mada
daily life
|emotions
|daily_life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- The product launch was a total catastrophe, with technical problems from start to finish.
- My attempt to cook dinner for ten people ended in catastrophe.
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- The party was a catastrophe, and many guests went home early.
- My exam was a catastrophe because I did not study.
- 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.
Nomino
literary
C1
event
3
final disastrous ending in tragedy
In serious plays or stories, the last terrible event that ends the story and destroys the main characters.
Muundo wa matumizi:
the catastrophe of [a play/story]
Kosa la kawaida:
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.
Visawe
denouement (A more general literary term for the final part of a story; not always disastrous, unlike *catastrophe* in this sense.)
Vinyume
resolution (Focuses on the solving of conflicts, which may or may not be disastrous; contrasted with the destructive focus of *catastrophe*.)
Miunganiko ya maneno
the play's catastrophe
|the tragedy's catastrophe
|approach the catastrophe
|classical catastrophe
|Aristotelian catastrophe
Mada
literature
|art
|arts_entertainment
|education
|core_vocabulary
Mifano
- In classical tragedy, the catastrophe is often the death of the hero.
- The play builds slowly toward its inevitable catastrophe in the final act.
- 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.
Mifano kwa wanafunzi
- In this old play, the catastrophe happens when the king is killed.
- The catastrophe of the story comes in the last chapter.
- 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.
Sarufi
Umbo la kamusi
catastrophe
IPA
GB/kətˈæstɹəfi/
US/kətˈæstɹəfi/
Silabi na mkazo
cata - strophe (silabi 2)
Stress on 2nd syllable (strophe)
Maumbo ya neno
Noun
- Base: catastrophe
- Plural: catastrophes
Familia ya neno
Forms
catastrophes
noun
Core family
catastrophic
adjective C1
catastrophically
adverb C1
Advanced or less common
catastrophize
verb
Semi
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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.
Mifano
- 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.