Something catastrophic is very harmful. When the stock market crashes it’s a catastrophic event for investors.
This is a strong word for terrible, harmful, devastating things. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis are catastrophic weather events. A depression is catastrophic for the economy. In sports, if the star player is injured, that's catastrophic for the team. If a parent dies, that's catastrophic for a family. Scientists worry that climate change will have a catastrophic effect on the planet. Catastrophic events are severe and horrific. Stubbing your toe isn’t catastrophic: losing your leg in an accident is.
