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Preposition after adjective

Catastrophic for or catastrophic to?

Catastrophic is normally followed by for when describing harmful effects. Catastrophic to is uncommon after the adjective and is usually avoided.

Quick answer

Use catastrophic for to describe harmful consequences

The standard pattern is catastrophic for + person, group, system, or situation. Catastrophic to is generally not used after the adjective catastrophic, although to may appear separately as part of another phrase.

The drought was catastrophic for local farms.
A long outage could be catastrophic for the hospital.
The policy change proved catastrophic for small businesses.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
catastrophic for + person/group

Showing severe harm to people or organisations

Use catastrophic for to describe something that causes extreme damage or failure.

The scandal was catastrophic for the company.
The flood became catastrophic for local residents.
2
catastrophic for + system/process

Describing destructive effects on systems

This pattern is common with economies, ecosystems, plans, and infrastructure.

The cyberattack was catastrophic for the banking system.
Years of neglect were catastrophic for public transport.
3
catastrophic for + future/prospects

Talking about long-term consequences

Use catastrophic for when discussing outcomes or future development.

The defeat could be catastrophic for their chances of qualification.
Rising temperatures are catastrophic for crop production.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
catastrophic for
The storm was catastrophic for coastal towns.
Standard and idiomatic for describing severe harm or damage.
catastrophic to
The storm caused catastrophic damage to coastal towns.
To naturally follows damage, not catastrophic itself. Catastrophic to is usually avoided after the adjective.
catastrophic for someone
The delay was catastrophic for the project team.
Shows who or what suffers the consequences.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using catastrophic to after the adjective

English normally uses for after catastrophic when describing harmful effects.

✕ The decision was catastrophic to the company. ✓ The decision was catastrophic for the company.

Confusing the adjective with a noun phrase

To may follow a related noun such as damage or loss.

✕ The fire was catastrophic to the museum. ✓ The fire caused catastrophic damage to the museum.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The closure was catastrophic ___ local businesses.
2. The report warned of catastrophic consequences ___ the economy.
3. Choose the most natural sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Is catastrophic to ever correct?

It is unusual after the adjective catastrophic. In many cases, English uses catastrophic for instead.

Can to appear near catastrophic in a sentence?

Yes. For example, in catastrophic damage to the city, to belongs with damage, not with catastrophic.

What kinds of nouns follow catastrophic for?

People, businesses, systems, economies, plans, and future prospects commonly follow it.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"? characteristic of, for, in or to?

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