0 a complete failure, especially because of bad planning and organization:
A key to understanding the debacle of anti-nuclear reform lies in the past history of the movement itself.
Some pundits charged that the military's complete decay, especially the cowardice and incompetence of its commanders, had precipitated the debacle of 1847.
His son's and his favourite's recent debacle in foreign affairs induced a sulky, petulant gloom in the king that intensified his ill health.
On the other side, however, it may be possible to win over converts from the former dominant party, now prostrated by its electoral debacle.
The extent to which one was aware of, or accepted this, had some bearing on one's view of the debacle.
Isma'il, who himself barely survived the debacle, sank into deep remorse for his rashness and swore off wine for good.
Underlying the military debacle was the regime's political defeat, itself the result of a glaring discrepancy between the state's needs for warmaking and society's meagre resources.
The process has involved defeats, surrenders and retreats—all followed by today's debate and last night's debacle.
