10. catastrophe: a sudden unexpected, and terrible event that causes great suffering, misfortune or ruin Catastrophe is often used of an event or a situation that brings with it a violent social or political upheaval(zl• 10.catastrophe: • a sudden, unexpected, and terrible event that causes great suffering, misfortune, or ruin Catastrophe is often used of an event or a situation that brings with it a violent social or political upheaval (动 荡