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

Ledoux is on the verge of leaving Walnut Grove for good when he's called on to save a struggling mother through a disastrous birth. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026

The last time Rushing caught Ohtani, the pitcher took over pitch-calling after a disastrous second inning against the Twins last week. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026

Longs Peak is the tallest summit in the national park and affords stunning views but it is also known to see rapid, potentially disastrous changes in weather. — Michael Loria, USA Today, 7 July 2026

From dream home to disaster But faster than a rushing river, that dream became a nightmare when disastrous flooding hit Kerr County last summer. — Bo Evans, CBS News, 30 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1