disastrous

adjective

di·​sas·​trous di-ˈza-strəs 

also -ˈsa-

1

: attended by or causing suffering or disaster : calamitous

a disastrous flood

2

: terrible, horrendous

a disastrous score

disastrously adverb

Synonyms of disastrous

• fatal
• unfortunate
• catastrophic

Examples of disastrous in a Sentence

Half the city was destroyed by a disastrous fire.

The bad weather could have a disastrous effect on the area's tourism industry.

His failure to back up the computer files had disastrous consequences.

The strike was economically disastrous.

Recent Examples on the Web

Blowing up the merger could be disastrous for California and the movie industry. — Steve Marshall, Washington Post, 10 Aug. 2026

If the Dallas Cowboys defense truly rebounds in 2026 after a disastrous campaign last year, don’t be surprised if the root of the success starts with this duo. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026

After a disastrous stint in Carolina and a one-year return to coaching as Stanford’s interim coach in 2025, Frank Reich arrived with a fresh perspective as the Jets’ offensive coordinator. — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

James plays an art teacher whose destination wedding in Rome turns disastrous when he's left at the altar. — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1