1
as in catastrophes
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 failures
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
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Recent Examples of disasters
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will resume staff cuts that were briefly paused during January’s severe winter storm, according to two FEMA managers, stoking concern across the agency over its ability to address disasters with fewer workers.
—
Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
But bill supporters say more work needs to be done to protect communities from any more railway disasters.
—James Taylor, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
In situations such as disasters, having a diversity of perspectives in mapmaking is essential to serving the needs of the community.
—Melinda Laituri, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
The Valdez oil spill was one of history’s worst environmental and public relations disasters.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
The juvenile hall doesn’t have emergency plans for fires or other disasters.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
And more extreme weather means costlier disasters for American communities, from tracking warning signs to running clean up in the aftermath.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Public trust in nuclear power remains fragile because of past disasters and scandals.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Much of the public discourse surrounding disasters such as last year’s fires focuses on blame, but Andrews considers that framing incomplete.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 6 Feb. 2026
But bill supporters say more work needs to be done to protect communities from any more railway disasters.
—James Taylor, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
In situations such as disasters, having a diversity of perspectives in mapmaking is essential to serving the needs of the community.
—Melinda Laituri, The Conversation, 4 Feb. 2026
The Valdez oil spill was one of history’s worst environmental and public relations disasters.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 4 Feb. 2026
The juvenile hall doesn’t have emergency plans for fires or other disasters.
—Jason Henry, Daily News, 1 Feb. 2026
And more extreme weather means costlier disasters for American communities, from tracking warning signs to running clean up in the aftermath.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
Public trust in nuclear power remains fragile because of past disasters and scandals.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 Jan. 2026
Much of the public discourse surrounding disasters such as last year’s fires focuses on blame, but Andrews considers that framing incomplete.
—Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 27 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disasters
Noun
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However, within resources available, countries can build disaster and health response capabilities to mitigate physical and biological catastrophes.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
18 Jan. 2026
-
An observer of catastrophes, come what may.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Republicans argue the region’s frustrations reflect years of structural failures under Cooper’s disaster management system, stretching back to earlier storms.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
4 Feb. 2026
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Earlier cases against Aguilar were dismissed years after his failures to appear.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Some Minnesotans reacted with doubt and concern to Homan’s announcement Thursday, as many residents’ trust in law enforcement has been eroded by the killings of two residents, weeks of clashes and a troubled history of high-profile tragedies.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Their songs have a way of leveling the playing field between tiny frustrations that make up a run-of-the-mill bad day and life-altering tragedies that render previous bad days unmemorable.—
Grace Robins-Somerville,
Pitchfork,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This is clear on entry, as the exhibition floor itself is turned into a series of unstable ramps that rise and fall, echoing the references to the promises and disappointments of modern life that permeate the show.—
K. Desbouis,
Artforum,
6 Feb. 2026
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Early exposure to setbacks can help children confront later disappointments without falling apart.—
Russell Shaw,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Based on Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, the surrealist musical follows one nuclear family across thousands of years and three apocalypses.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
10 Dec. 2025
-
And a lot of the pseudepigrapha, like the fake gospels and fake apocalypses, fill in gaps in the record that can serve latter-day, post-biblical purposes.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The working dog center also trains dogs to detect drugs, bombs and alert for medical conditions.—
Stephanie Stahl,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
And they’re also saturated with very flammable eucalyptus oil, turning them into tree bombs when set ablaze.—
Popular Science Team,
Popular Science,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The calamities of war shuttered many of the earliest kissa, as entire collections of jazz records were lost.—
Nneka M. Okona,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
21 Jan. 2026
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But even if all those calamities come to pass, hey, Thomas still loves his partner.—
Joseph Hudak,
Rolling Stone,
15 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The public and private markets have decided that infrastructure companies and the top model developers are the AI winners, while software companies are the likely losers, regardless of how strong their businesses may look today.—
Jordan Novet,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2026
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Investors are starting to pick AI winners and losers.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disasters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disasters. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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