calamitous

adjective

ca·​lam·​i·​tous kə-ˈla-mə-təs 

: being, causing, or accompanied by calamity

calamitous events

a calamitous earthquake

calamitously adverb

Synonyms

• cataclysmal
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• damning
• destructive
• disastrous
• fatal
• fateful
• ruinous
• unfortunate

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

Ben Watson then flicked home the stoppage-time winner from a corner — a calamitous end to a disappointing season for City and undoubtedly their gloomiest modern Wembley day to date. —Thom Harris, New York Times, 17 May 2025

There might have still been time, after Biden’s calamitous June debate performance, to put together a mini-primary, or at least a process of democratic consultation, to choose a replacement. —Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 17 May 2025

This calamitous period of his rule is glossed over in the hagiographical accounts of his life. —Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025

As chronicled in Episode 8, a calculated massacre of hundreds of locals has taken place, to distract from — and ultimately justify — the Empire’s aggressive and eventually calamitous extraction of valuable calcite from Ghorman. —Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French calamiteux "suffering misfortune, miserable," borrowed from Latin calamitōsus "liable to damage or disaster, afflicted by disaster, ill-starred, involving damage or disaster, ruinous," by haplology from *calamitātōsus, from calamitāt-, calamitās "disaster, misfortune, calamity" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

calamitous

adjective

ca·​lam·​i·​tous kə-ˈlam-ət-əs 

: causing or accompanied by calamity

calamitous events

calamitously adverb

calamitousness noun