Synonyms of disaster

disaster

noun

di-ˈza-stər 

1

as in catastrophe

a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction

hurricanes are natural disasters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• catastrophe
• tragedy
• apocalypse
• calamity
• accident
• collapse
• crash
• debacle
• fatality
• cataclysm
• casualty
• upheaval
• meltdown
• misfortune
• Armageddon
• doomsday
• bloodbath
• convulsion
• blow
• mishap
• misadventure
• paroxysm
• end-time
• mischance
• blast
• double whammy
• one-two

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• windfall
• manna
• godsend

2

as in failure

something that has failed

an utter disaster, the play opened and closed on the same miserable night

Synonyms & Similar Words

• catastrophe
• failure
• disappointment
• bust
• loser
• fiasco
• bomb
• shipwreck
• debacle
• mess
• washout
• flop
• miss
• lemon
• frost
• dud
• fizzle
• clunker
• bummer
• turkey
• clinker
• has-been
• dog
• shambles
• botch
• also-ran
• hash
• nonevent
• near miss
• muddle
• nonstarter

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• success
• hit
• winner
• blockbuster
• phenomenon
• smash
• corker
• crackerjack
• dandy
• jim-dandy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of disaster

Videos of the disaster showed people running before the floodwaters swallowed them up and washed out buildings and bridges. — Shristi Kafle, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

Australia’s National Emergency Management Agency has warned that the growing trend of concurrent and cascading disasters is expected to continue and, in many cases, increase. — Milad Haghani, Scientific American, 27 Aug. 2026

The Senate unanimously passed those regulations as part of the ROTOR Act last December as the first anniversary of the American Eagle Flight 5342 disaster approached. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026

The State Department is closely monitoring the situation and is deploying a disaster response advisor to the region to support response efforts. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!