disastrous

adjective

di-ˈza-strəs How to pronounce disastrous (audio)
Definition of disastrousnext
1
as in fatal
bringing about ruin or misfortune a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction a disastrous fire from which the town never fully recovered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of disastrous In the centuries since, concrete has come to reshape our way of life, with disastrous results for the climate. — Sara Herschander, Vox, 15 Oct. 2026 On Tuesday night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, Kimmel recounted Zacharia’s disastrous first day of work. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2026 Given the hardness of the wall surfaces and unique sloping design, mounting larger frames would be difficult, possibly even disastrous. — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 And finally, Erceg endured a disastrous campaign but finished strong in September. — Kansas City Star, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disastrous
  1. fatal
  2. devastating
  3. unfortunate
  4. destructive
  5. catastrophic
Adjective
  • Another e-bike rider died over the weekend in Huntington Beach, marking the second fatal incident involving an e-bike in the coastal city in months.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Presley, Crawford’s son and Kaia’s older brother, died of a fatal overdose inside a rehab facility after years of struggling with addiction and his mental health.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • That changed after the devastating Glass Fire swept through Napa County in 2020, destroying parts of nearby Deer Park and threatening his community.
    — Kenny Choi, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Boasting a devastating, quick attacking unit in Cole Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro, Chelsea’s instinct has been to sit back and invite opponents forward, creating gaps to exploit on the counter.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Amid unusual heat and unrelenting winds, hundreds of firefighters worked to contain several small, but destructive fires that ignited across Southern California.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Kent said embers from burning homes can ignite nearby properties, allowing fires to spread from one structure to another and potentially contribute to larger, more destructive blazes.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destructive
Adjective
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently closed its X2 roller coaster after multiple lawsuits accused the attraction of causing catastrophic brain injuries.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • So, Correa repeatedly assured voters that abandoning the dollar would be catastrophic and was not on his agenda.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

disasters
disastrous
disastrously
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Cite this Entry

“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disastrous. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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