disaster

noun

di-ˈza-stər How to pronounce disaster (audio)
Definition of disasternext
1
as in catastrophe
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction hurricanes are natural disasters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in failure
something that has failed an utter disaster, the play opened and closed on the same miserable night

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 disaster The chain of events that led to disaster started when the communication system key to the functioning of the security system on the Madrid-Seville line went down. — ABC News, 3 Nov. 2026 That information can be valuable as state and local officials work to assess the extent of damage and pursue disaster assistance. — Brian Maass, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 How could two children and a man be swept to their deaths in a place that appeared equipped to handle such disasters? — Cengiz Yar, ProPublica, 3 Nov. 2026 At least 1,399 people across Nepal and China's Tibet region died in the disaster, with more than 5,400 others still missing at the time of the report. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for disaster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disaster
  1. catastrophe
  2. failure
  3. tragedy
  4. disappointment
  5. apocalypse
  6. bust
  7. calamity
Noun
  • At the time of the last catastrophe, a convulsive shift in media consumption began undermining the value of the legacy distribution scheme, which in turn led to grave uncertainties related to revenue sharing.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The strategy provided insurers with concessions such as the right to charge policyholders for the reinsurance carriers must buy to protect themselves from catastrophes, such as the January 2025 wildfires.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Obstacles, wind, sensor errors, or other system failures can prevent it from completing the maneuver safely.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Coach Mikey Varas has spent the past week asking his players to confront their failure to reach the MLS Cup playoffs rather than simply count down the days until the offseason.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • The incident horrified parents and neighbors, who wanted to know what the city could do to prevent another tragedy.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Slafter doesn't want her son to be connected to this tragedy.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • Those who checked Truth Social after CNN projected that the Democratic party would capture the House of Representatives were also set up for disappointment, as the president has yet to comment on those results as well.
    — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 4 Nov. 2026
  • For communities across Sacramento and California, Diwali — the ancient Hindu Festival of Lights — comes with its joyful tradition of illumination to symbolize good over evil, but this year’s celebration is marked with a shadow of disappointment.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of disappointment
Noun
  • The structure of World War Z lends the material a dreadful credibility, with the prospect of a zombie apocalypse never seeming more plausible.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Nov. 2026
  • There are some apocalypses, the song seems to suggest, where no redemptive beauty can be found.
    — Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • This is, in part, a byproduct of private equity’s natural boom-and-bust cycle.
    — Morgan Chittum, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Friday’s biggest lift for the S&P 500 came from Nvidia, the chip company that’s become the face of the boom and possible bust of the AI frenzy.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of bust
Noun
  • West and his college girlfriend, Andrea, drove three hours south after the calamity.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Morgenthau’s personal encounters with power had taught him that its unbridled pursuit led to calamity.
    — David Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of calamity

Browse Nearby Words

disassociating
disaster
disasters
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Cite this Entry

“Disaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disaster. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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