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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Tags: Catastrophisation, catastrophise, new word

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