catastrophe definition : large event causing great damage or suffering. Check meanings, examples, usage tips, pronunciation, domains, and related words. Discover expressions like " catastrophe waiting to happen", "recipe for catastrophe ", " catastrophe theory". A catastrophe is a sudden event that causes very great trouble or destruction, or a bad situation. Learn more about the word, its synonyms, collocations and translations with Cambridge Dictionary. catastrophe (countable and uncountable, plural catastrophes) Any large and disastrous event of great significance. quotations CATASTROPHE meaning : 1. a sudden event that causes very great trouble or destruction: 2. a bad situation: 3. a sudden…. Learn more.