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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Recent Examples of calamitous
Prior to the calamitous war following the attacks of October 7, 2023, Israel fought five wars with Hamas, between 2008 and 2021.
—
Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Earth has long been deemed safe from a calamitous collision with a certain small asteroid in 2032.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
With a calamitous season now in the books, the Damon Stoudamire era at Georgia Tech is over after only three seasons, the school announced Sunday.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
When parents and teachers raised children to to believe that their futures mattered; when leaders transcended ideology to make communities stronger and better-prepared to stand together in calamitous times.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026
Earth has long been deemed safe from a calamitous collision with a certain small asteroid in 2032.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
With a calamitous season now in the books, the Damon Stoudamire era at Georgia Tech is over after only three seasons, the school announced Sunday.
—Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 8 Mar. 2026
When parents and teachers raised children to to believe that their futures mattered; when leaders transcended ideology to make communities stronger and better-prepared to stand together in calamitous times.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamitous
Adjective
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The study, published on May 31, highlights an ongoing trend toward wildfires becoming increasingly extreme, costly, and disastrous — both economically and in lives lost.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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Leigh Ann, boy, so striking to hear the former first lady talk about that disastrous debate performance.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Femi was coming off a devastating loss against Brock Lesnar.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Fewer, but more ‘devastating’ blazes That the world suffered fewer acres torched by wildfires in 2025 likely comes as little relief to the countries and cities that battled the infernos last year.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, Giulia and Lash Legend squared off in a fatal four-way match with a spot in the semifinals waiting for the winner.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
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Underscoring the stakes for Louisville residents is the March fatal shooting of a 28-year-old woman named Katelyn Hall, who was experiencing a mental health crisis when police gunned her down in her own apartment.—
Topher Sanders,
ProPublica,
2 June 2026
Adjective
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The timing is particularly unfortunate given the matchup awaiting the Knicks.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
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While loud sounds won’t cause flat cakes, there are reasons for this unfortunate outcome.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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The Bawah Anambas Foundation works with local communities to combat destructive fishing techniques, focusing on reforestation and offering skills training.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 June 2026
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In distributing these weak linkages throughout a material like polystyrene, the mechanophores split in two as a crack begins to propagate, successfully redirecting the crack and dissipating the destructive energy.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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In 2009, 36-year-old Diane Schuler drove her minivan in the wrong direction on the Taconic State Parkway, resulting in a catastrophic collision with an SUV that killed herself, her daughter, three nieces, and three people in the other vehicle.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
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Anywhere some of those choices turn out to be catastrophic mistakes.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamitous. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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