To imagine or interpret a situation as having the worst possible outcome.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- catastrophize about the future
- tend to catastrophize
- catastrophize a setback
On the page
He began to catastrophize after one unanswered call.
Rather than catastrophizing the delay, she checked the timetable.
When frightened, I catastrophize about consequences that are still only possibilities.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- catastrophize / catastrophizes
- Past tense
- catastrophized
- Past participle
- catastrophized
- Present participle
- catastrophizing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- catastrophize / catastrophizes
- Present continuous
- am/is/are catastrophizing
- Present perfect
- have/has catastrophized
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been catastrophizing
- Past
- catastrophized
- Past continuous
- was/were catastrophizing
- Past perfect
- had catastrophized
- Past perfect continuous
- had been catastrophizing
- Future
- will catastrophize / catastrophizes
- Future continuous
- will be catastrophizing
- Future perfect
- will have catastrophized
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been catastrophizing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Primary category: fear. Usually implies an exaggerated negative forecast, not sensible planning for a credible hazard. A thinking pattern, not a diagnosis. British spelling catastrophise. Verb forms (base, third-person singular, past, past participle, -ing): catastrophize, catastrophizes, catastrophized, catastrophized, catastrophizing. British spelling series: catastrophise, catastrophises, catastrophised, catastrophised, catastrophising. Derived family (not additional inflections or records): catastrophizing (nominalized process).
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