Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
verb
To regard a bad situation as if it were disastrous or catastrophic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To expose a behavior pattern of seeking the worst interpretation and magnifying the disagreeable outcomes (of).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, transitive
Topics: human-sciences, psychology, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: awfulize
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To end a comedy.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology tree English catastrophe Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English catastrophize From catastrophe + -ize.
