calamitous

adjective

kə-ˈla-mə-təs How to pronounce calamitous (audio)
Definition of calamitousnext
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction a calamitous flood that destroyed the town's central business district

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of calamitous The algorithm, Algo to its friends, put a calamitous opening day behind it to the season with a solid four out of 10. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026 This is aside from the calamitous damage that the wars have wrought on Israel’s international reputation. — Amos Harel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2026 For decades, scientists have been warning us about the calamitous consequences of climate change. — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 20 July 2026 For both satellites and race cars, tiny miscalculations become calamitous. — Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamitous
  1. disastrous
  2. devastating
  3. fatal
  4. destructive
  5. unfortunate
  6. catastrophic
Adjective
  • But real power, particularly in numbers, can make things happen or stop really disastrous things from happening.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The 46-year-old was dismissed from the Mets halfway through the 2026 season after a disastrous start, which included a 12-game losing streak in April.
    — Frederick Sutton Sinclair, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • That changed after the devastating Glass Fire swept through Napa County in 2020, destroying parts of nearby Deer Park and threatening his community.
    — Kenny Choi, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Boasting a devastating, quick attacking unit in Cole Palmer, Rogers and Joao Pedro, Chelsea’s instinct has been to sit back and invite opponents forward, creating gaps to exploit on the counter.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • Another e-bike rider died over the weekend in Huntington Beach, marking the second fatal incident involving an e-bike in the coastal city in months.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Presley, Crawford’s son and Kaia’s older brother, died of a fatal overdose inside a rehab facility after years of struggling with addiction and his mental health.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • Amid unusual heat and unrelenting winds, hundreds of firefighters worked to contain several small, but destructive fires that ignited across Southern California.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Kent said embers from burning homes can ignite nearby properties, allowing fires to spread from one structure to another and potentially contribute to larger, more destructive blazes.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of destructive
Adjective
  • Neighbors shocked about stabbing Neighbors say Thomas was known to have mental health issues and called the stabbing unfortunate.
    — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • To make matters worse, India’s Supreme Court, another vital democratic institution, has also played an unfortunate role in this train of events.
    — Pratap Bhanu Mehta, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain permanently closed its X2 roller coaster after multiple lawsuits accused the attraction of causing catastrophic brain injuries.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • So, Correa repeatedly assured voters that abandoning the dollar would be catastrophic and was not on his agenda.
    — Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

calamities
calamitous
calamity
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Cite this Entry

“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamitous. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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