debacle
noun
Did you know?
The Origin of Debacle Is French
If you need an icebreaker in some social setting, why not recount the history of debacle? After all, when it was first used in English, debacle referred to the literal breaking up of ice (such as the kind that occurs in a river after a long, cold winter), as well as to the rush of ice or water that follows such an event. Eventually, it was also used to mean “a violent, destructive flood.” If that’s not enough to make some fast friends, you could let loose the fact that debacle comes from the French noun débâcle, which in turn comes from the verb débâcler, meaning “to clear, unbolt, or unbar.” You might then add, to your listeners’ grateful appreciation, that these uses led naturally to such meanings as “a breaking up,” “collapse,” and finally the familiar “disaster” and “fiasco.” We can feel the silence thawing already.
Synonyms
Examples of debacle in a Sentence
T. Coraghessan Boyle, The Road to Wellville, 1993
So what had been intended as an orderly hearing ended in a general debacle, for as soon as Fray Domingo saw his protector dragged toward the exit door, he leaped at the guards and began pummeling them.
—James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
Savings themselves evaporate in the course of such a debacle and thus the very wherewithal for reversing and retrieving the situation is lost …
—Jane Jacobs, Cities and the Wealth of Nations, 1984
After the debacle of his first novel, he had trouble getting a publisher for his next book.
the financial debacle that was the stock market crash of 1929
Roger Cohen, New York Times, 10 June 2024
The recent article about protests at Stanford over the Israel-Palestine debacle is both sad and pathetic.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 7 June 2024
The debate in the U.S. Congress over sending military aid to Ukraine has been a debacle.
—Alex Crowther, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2024
The egg debacle has Mr. Takahashi once again accusing Larry of being Disgruntled.
—Sarah Nechamkin, Vulture, 19 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for debacle 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'debacle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to debacle
Dictionary Entries Near debacle
Cite this Entry
“Debacle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/debacle. Accessed 27 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
debacle
noun
Share