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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.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reports that LA is looking to bring in even more aging former All-Star depth via a new blockbuster trade after the club's disastrous start to its 2025-26 season. Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025 The Bears’ defense limited Stanford to 71 yards and five first downs in the first half, but two disastrous turnovers and nine penalties for 88 yards left them trailing 14-10 at the half. Jeff Faraudo, Mercury News, 23 Nov. 2025 What begins as an electrifying portrait of the band onstage and in transit gradually darkens as the filmmakers chronicle the planning and disastrous execution of the free Altamont Speedway concert that December. Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 22 Nov. 2025 Last year, Grace Ocean and Synergy reached a settlement with the Justice Department to pay nearly $102 million to resolve a civil claim alleging that the companies’ cost-cutting and negligence in the ship’s maintenance led to the disastrous collision. Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 19 Nov. 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 28 Nov. 2025.

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