calamitous

adjective

ca·​lam·​i·​tous kə-ˈla-mə-təs How to pronounce calamitous (audio)
: being, causing, or accompanied by calamity
calamitous events
a calamitous earthquake
calamitously adverb

Examples of calamitous in a Sentence

the calamitous state of the nation's economy a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business
Recent Examples on the Web Its working-age population peaked in 2006 at around 90 million and stands at less than 80 million today, a calamitous trend. Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024 Music For Subscribers Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Dec. 13, 2023 Where does the case stand? Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2024 Seven people in total died when Russian drones struck a fuel depot late Friday night in one of the most calamitous attacks yet on Kharkiv, the northeastern city that has suffered a series of missile strikes in recent weeks. Carlotta Gall Lynsey Addario, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2024 But with another heavy workload likely in the cards given the uncertainty surrounding Lawrence, Etienne could play a critical role in helping the Jaguars avoid a calamitous tumble out of the playoff picture. USA TODAY, 5 Jan. 2024 Music For Subscribers Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Dec. 13, 2023 Authorities have said little about the probe. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2024 Music For Subscribers Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Dec. 13, 2023 The investigation into Combs is being directed by federal prosecutors with the Southern District of New York. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024 Obst was widely credited with rescuing the 1994 all-female Western Bad Girls — starring Madeleine Stowe, Andie MacDowell, Mary Stuart Masterson and Drew Barrymore — from an utterly calamitous shoot. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024 Emmy Awards:Ariana DeBose and Bella Ramsey hug it out following Critics Choice Awards joke Writer Nick Shafir’s entertainingly calamitous premise mines real-world global anxiety, though the plot becomes convoluted heading into the final act as various machinations take hold of the crew members. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'calamitous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see calamity

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of calamitous was in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near calamitous

Cite this Entry

“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calamitous. Accessed 2 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

calamitous

adjective
ca·​lam·​i·​tous kə-ˈlam-ət-əs How to pronounce calamitous (audio)
: causing or accompanied by calamity
calamitous events
calamitously adverb
calamitousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on calamitous

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