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 Daniel had arrived back in Venezuela the day of the disaster, after being deported from the United States. — Susana Erazo, CNN Money, 17 July 2026 The discrepancy is even more apparent when analyzing major disaster declarations based on presidential elections. — David A. Lieb, Fortune, 16 July 2026 China Anneng said the modular system can be transported to a disaster site, assembled, and placed into operation in just over 10 minutes. — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026 The film follows Greengrass’ recent project,The Lost Bus, a disaster thriller starring Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera. — Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 16 July 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
  • In the work of fiction, the ship is taken over to prevent catastrophe.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 5 July 2026
  • The young girls are referred to as Heaven’s 27 by their surviving families, who are determined to honor their legacy by ensuring such a catastrophe never happens again.
    — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Definition of catastrophe
Noun
  • Any actions against those responsible for the structural failure are pending the results of the ongoing investigation, the Department of Buildings said earlier this week.
    — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
  • The notion of remaining in your childhood home well into your adult years carries an enduring stigma, suggesting a failure to launch.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • Delivery had been delayed as the city grappled with the tragedy, a small but unforgettable reminder that Atlanta’s celebration had changed overnight.
    — Andrea Clement, AJC.com, 17 July 2026
  • Yellowstone sees the most deaths during the tourist months running from May through October, with July featuring nearly 25 percent of all recorded tragedies.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 16 July 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • Whether that’s a single-stock anomaly or a signal that the market has quietly repriced its tolerance for earnings disappointment across the sector is the question the rest of earnings season will start to answer.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 15 July 2026
  • Stranger still is the fact these non-native fish have developed a mysterious ability to vanish for months at a time in Lake Gaston – much to the disappointment of anglers.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
Definition of disappointment
Noun
  • The same year, another, longer-running TV version focused on the story of survivors after an alien apocalypse that had wiped out most of the Earth's population.
    — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 4 July 2026
  • Closing the Manhattan Bridge, diverting traffic, and managing the safety of staging a zombie apocalypse downtown required the cooperation and manpower of multiple agencies with their own sets of pressing priorities and responsibilities.
    — Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 30 June 2026
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • To set the imperious tone, guests are greeted in reception by two marble and stone busts of Roman emperor Vespasian and general Marcus Agrippa.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 July 2026
  • This triangle bikini is beloved among Amazon shoppers for its flattering fit on curves and large busts.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 11 July 2026
Definition of bust
Noun
  • To say everything went wrong would be to undersell the scope of the calamity.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026
  • The operation was a testament to the growing effectiveness of a multinational collection of urban search-and-rescue squads — known as USAR — that have become ubiquitous life-savers at epicenters of calamity across the globe.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of calamity

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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 19 Jul. 2026.

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