Word a Day
debacle
What does debacle mean?
debacle (noun): an event or enterprise that ends suddenly and disastrously, often with humiliating consequences.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use debacle in a sentence?
- We're fed up with the whole debacle. (Tatoeba sentence #9962946 by shekitten, CC BY 2.0 FR)
How do you pronounce debacle?
/dəˈbɑkəl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does debacle come from?
From French débâcle, from débâcler (“to unbar; unleash”) from prefix dé- (“un-”) + bâcler (“to dash, bind, bar, block”).
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “debacle”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “debacle” mean?
a person, group, or thing that opposes or attacks another person or group; an opponent or rival
Not quite: that's what adversary means.
a policy of deficit-cutting, which by definition requires lower spending, higher taxes, or both
Not quite: that's what austerity means.
cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)
Not quite: that's what admonition means.
an event or enterprise that ends suddenly and disastrously, often with humiliating consequences
Right! That's what “debacle” means.
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