The earthquake was a devastating catastrophe that left thousands homeless and in need of assistance.
synonyms
disastercalamitytragedy
word origin — from the Greek 'katastrophē', meaning 'overturning' or 'sudden turn'.
catastrophe, despair, spectator, yen, occupation: meanings and examples
Learn these 5 words from SAT Vocabulary Level 1 set 146. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.
catastrophe · noun/kəˈtæstrəfi/
a sudden and widespread disaster or misfortune
The earthquake was a devastating catastrophe that left thousands homeless and in need of assistance.
Synonyms: disaster, calamity, tragedy
Origin: from the Greek 'katastrophē', meaning 'overturning' or 'sudden turn'.
despair · noun/dɪsˈpɛr/
the complete loss or absence of hope
After losing her job and facing mounting bills, she sank into deep despair, feeling as if there was no way out.
Synonyms: hopelessness, despondency, anguish
Origin: from Old French 'desesperer', from Latin 'desperare' meaning 'to lose hope'
spectator · noun/ˈspɛkˌteɪtər/
a person who watches an event, show, or activity
The crowd of spectators cheered as the athletes took their positions for the final race.
Synonyms: viewer, observer, onlooker
Origin: from Latin 'spectator', meaning 'one who looks at' (from 'spectare', meaning 'to look at')
yen · noun/jɛn/
a strong desire or craving
After a long day at work, she had a yen for a relaxing spa treatment.
Synonyms: craving, desire, longing
Origin: The term 'yen' comes from the Chinese word 'yǎn', meaning 'to have a desire' or 'to long for'. It was adopted into English in the late 19th century.
occupation · noun/ˌɑːk.jəˈpeɪ.ʃən/
a person's job or profession
His occupation as a software engineer requires strong analytical skills.
Synonyms: profession, job, work
Origin: Late Middle English: from Old French 'occuper' or Latin 'occupatio', from 'occupare', meaning 'to seize, take up'.