debacle
a sudden and complete failure or collapse
Word origin: From French debacle, a breaking up of ice, from debacler, to unbar.
Debacle in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing debacle in a sentence.
The launch turned into a debacle when the system crashed on day one.
The product launch became a debacle when the servers crashed within minutes of going live.
Using “debacle” well
Debacle denotes a sudden, total, often humiliating failure, stronger than a simple setback. It pairs with fiasco and catastrophe.
More GRE words starting with D
to engage in something superficially or as a casual pastime
a raised platform for speakers or honored guests
to waste time or act without urgency
to make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong
marked with spots or patches of color or light
to intimidate or discourage with fear or doubt
to move slowly or waste time idly
a scarcity or shortage of something
Questions about “debacle”
Learn words the way the GRE tests them.
Vocabulary sticks when you meet it in real sentences. Practise these words inside text completion and sentence equivalence questions.