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

If not for a calamitous early September night from Boise State football’s special teams unit, the Broncos very well would have ended the 2024 regular season undefeated. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Apr. 2025

On the docket for the coming evening are at least five separate occasions with the potential to be calamitous. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025

But Biden is leaving on the heels of a calamitous final year in office that saw his party suffer sweeping defeats at the ballot box. —Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025

Biden’s actions provoked discussion about his legacy and whether the calamitous final year of his presidency will ultimately define his tenure in the White House. —Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2024

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