catastrophically

Everyday

1. In a way that causes terrible damage or disaster. tree →
2. (everyday, exaggerating) Extremely badly, as when a plan goes completely wrong. tree →

In the lessons

In news and geography it describes floods, earthquakes or failures that cause huge damage. In everyday talk it is often used to exaggerate how badly something went («the cake failed catastrophically»). It tells the reader that the result was very, very bad. Phrases: «went catastrophically wrong», «failed catastrophically».

Examples

• The dam failed catastrophically and the valley flooded. tree →
• Our class play went catastrophically wrong when the scenery fell down. tree →
• The bridge was catastrophically damaged in the earthquake. tree →
• My first try at baking bread failed catastrophically. tree →
• If the ice sheets melt, sea levels could rise catastrophically. tree →
• He catastrophically misjudged the jump and landed in the mud. tree →
• The rocket's engine failed catastrophically just after launch. tree →

Note

Adverb from «catastrophe» → «catastrophic» → «catastrophically» (note -ally). Say «kat-uh-STROF-ik-lee». In everyday speech it is often an exaggeration; in the news it can mean real loss of life, so think about who is listening.