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GRE vocabulary

debacle

nounHigh-frequency wordMore D words

a sudden and complete failure or collapse

Word origin: From French debacle, a breaking up of ice, from debacler, to unbar.

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In a sentence

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.

Synonyms
fiascocatastrophedisaster
Antonyms
triumphsuccess

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Verbal · Text Completion

Although the senator's memoir was marketed as a frank reckoning with his failures, reviewers found it relentlessly blank, dwelling on grievances and recasting every setback as the fault of his adversaries.

Select the word that best completes the sentence.

Usage & nuance

Using “debacle” well

Debacle denotes a sudden, total, often humiliating failure, stronger than a simple setback. It pairs with fiasco and catastrophe.

Common questions

Questions about “debacle”

Debacle (noun) means a sudden and complete failure or collapse
Here is debacle used in an example sentence: "The launch turned into a debacle when the system crashed on day one." Another example: "The product launch became a debacle when the servers crashed within minutes of going live."
Common synonyms for debacle include fiasco, catastrophe, disaster.
Antonyms of debacle include triumph, success.
Clusters with fiasco, catastrophe, and disaster in Sentence Equivalence. Antonyms triumph and success describe a decisive win.
Yes. Debacle is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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