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
  • Since Benson and her co-authors met in Oviedo, weather catastrophes have multiplied, oceans have acidified and the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has soared.
    — Katie Worth, ProPublica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • But this latest catastrophe could clip the wings of any comeback.
    — Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 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
  • Across medicine, physicians need support to carry the profound emotional burdens of helping patients and families through tragedy.
    — Robert M. Kinast, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Many workplaces can identify warning signs early and potentially stop a tragedy while also taking additional steps.
    — Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 3 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
  • There are some apocalypses, the song seems to suggest, where no redemptive beauty can be found.
    — Marissa Lorusso, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
  • As critics have noted, though both Soares and Yudkowsky have spent much time fretting about an AI apocalypse, there’s no consensus that such a future is even possible — let alone probable.
    — Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of apocalypse
Noun
  • The dark comedy centers on Malina and Viktor, a sister and brother getting by on the fringes of post-Communist Macedonia by pilfering busts of national heroes cast in bronze, along with manhole covers, and selling off the metal.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 31 Oct. 2026
  • The singer went all out with the look, sporting a tall white wig and an oversized faux bust.
    — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of bust
Noun
  • As the guests attempt to keep up appearances, the celebrations descend into a day of calamity, hilarity and unexpected connections.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Anything that seems relatively unimportant, like who sits on what dais, becomes the calamity of the century.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 30 Oct. 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 8 Nov. 2026.

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