disastrous

adjective

di·​sas·​trous di-ˈza-strəs How to pronounce disastrous (audio)
 also  -ˈsa-
1
: attended by or causing suffering or disaster : calamitous
a disastrous flood
2
: terrible, horrendous
a disastrous score
disastrously adverb

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After his disastrous opening session with Bryson DeChambeau, Thomas showed as much fight and clutch play as anyone in the remaining 48 hours. Brody Miller, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2025 The calls have been particularly pronounced in the wake of the 2024 election, when Democrats pressed former President Biden, 81 at the time, to drop out of the presidential race following a disastrous debate performance. Caroline Vakil, The Hill, 8 Oct. 2025 The legal bill is the latest fallout for JPMorgan from the disastrous transaction. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 7 Oct. 2025 The ship is so famous because its sinking was disastrous, but not tragic – Shackleton guided all 27 crew members to safety and was able to slowly remove cargo, supplies and boats before the vessel sank. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disastrous

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disastrous was in 1594

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Cite this Entry

“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disastrous. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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