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 Boyle Heights blaze, similar to the Eaton and Palisades fires, has revealed the region’s air monitoring can’t always tell people what they’ve been exposed to in a disaster. — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 City leaders recognize the difficulty for families and communities dealing with vacant disasters. — Bryant Reed, CBS News, 2 July 2026 Rodríguez said numerous public officials died in the disaster, including security personnel, municipal employees and military officers. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026 Others, including Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, point to a budget disaster roughly a decade ago in Kansas, in which legislators enacted a series of tax cuts that were eventually rolled back. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 2 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
  • According to Castillo, one of the most significant failures has been the tendency to treat many squatter complaints as civil disputes rather than criminal investigations.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
  • Spence also appears to be absorbing the blame for broader failures, with Thomas Tuchel’s touchline frustrations obvious and — for a player still establishing himself at this level — that scrutiny is unlikely to help.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of failure
Noun
  • During the June 23 meeting, residents urged city officials to keep funding the team to prevent future tragedies.
    — Hema Sivanandam, Mercury News, 2 July 2026
  • Here are the most significant developments since the tragedy occurred.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 July 2026
Definition of tragedy
Noun
  • Since World Cup tickets began selling on FIFA Marketplace last September, fans have expressed disappointment in the expensive price tag.
    — Lily Wright, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Coach Hossam Hassan and captain Mohamed Salah expressed their disappointment after the match, while several former players and television pundits also questioned the officiating.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 8 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
  • The memory industry is notorious for its boom and bust cycles.
    — Bailey Lipschultz, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • Bronze busts of women’s champions Kathleen McKane Godfree, Dorothy Round, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones and Virginia Wade were unveiled in 2004.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
Definition of bust
Noun
  • 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
  • There have been few comments about improvements or calamities, other than the usual notes that battery life was reduced immediately after installation, which is commonplace.
    — David Phelan, Forbes.com, 30 June 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of disaster for Spanish Speakers

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