Catastrophise. noun:
1. To turn into a catastrophic state. e.g., “The Progressive movement in Canada was catastrophised by the results of the spring 2011 election.
2. Falsely Catastrophise. To portray as a catastrophe when in reality none exists. e.g., Baby Boomers like to catastrophise events that fall far short of true catastrophes due to their obsession with their own mortality. “The Boomer-controlled media falsely catastrophised the effects of Hurricane Irene.”
var. Catastrophisation
Origins: Modern Canadian English. Believed to have originated on Highway 417 between Ottawa and Montreal.
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