as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
this latest breakdown of the car is inconvenient, but not a calamity
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Recent Examples of calamity
Their evident fondness for one another, glowing warmly alongside all their sniping and whispering and eye-rolling, allows all the nightmares in Big Mistakes to feel like a lark rather than an incipient calamity.
—
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The calamity in the Atlanta race quickly drew comparisons to other errors, where leaders have mistakenly followed lead cars exiting the race course shortly before the finish.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Behind every trauma and calamity, whether personal or global, whispers of Jewish machination can be heard by those already listening for them.
—Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamity
Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2026
For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.
—Jed Perl, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
The calamity in the Atlanta race quickly drew comparisons to other errors, where leaders have mistakenly followed lead cars exiting the race course shortly before the finish.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Behind every trauma and calamity, whether personal or global, whispers of Jewish machination can be heard by those already listening for them.
—Mike Rothschild, Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamity
Noun
-
The Chernobyl disaster is the worst nuclear power plant accident ever in terms of death toll and cost.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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Satellite connectivity can act as a backup during disasters like hurricanes or wildfires.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Are those the exact services a family needs and can rely on to avoid tragedy?—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The investigation falls amid a variety of other probes into the tragedy at Camp Mystic, including as part of lawsuits filed by families against the camp’s leaders.—
Ashley Killough,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the context of extreme space weather, some individuals or groups may interpret such an event as an impending apocalypse.—
Ryan French,
Space.com,
15 Apr. 2026
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The SaaS apocalypse, in his telling, is not hype.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Calamity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamity. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.
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