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
Those improvements include pipe insulation, walls, attics, weather stripping doors and windows and installing storm windows to prevent future disasters.
—
Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
The seemingly limitless budgets and bottomless demand for content of the streaming television era have allowed studios to dramatize both long-ago and recent disasters.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 14 May 2026
During his temporary leadership, FEMA ceased door-to-door canvassing to reach survivors after disasters, and canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program, since restored by a federal judge.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Duffy's tenure has coincided with a chaotic time for air travel, from aviation disasters to shutdown shortages to financial woes caused by high jet fuel prices.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 12 May 2026
This record allows scientists to monitor disasters and direct response on the ground and study phenomena.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 12 May 2026
During his temporary leadership, FEMA ceased door-to-door canvassing to reach survivors after disasters, and canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program, since restored by a federal judge.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Through skill, sacrifice and professionalism, our first responders have narrowly avoided major disasters, including the recent high-rise fire in Towson that could have ended far worse without rapid response and coordination on scene.
—Nick Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
Which disasters qualify for federal support would also change.
—ABC News, 7 May 2026
Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
The seemingly limitless budgets and bottomless demand for content of the streaming television era have allowed studios to dramatize both long-ago and recent disasters.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 14 May 2026
During his temporary leadership, FEMA ceased door-to-door canvassing to reach survivors after disasters, and canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program, since restored by a federal judge.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
Duffy's tenure has coincided with a chaotic time for air travel, from aviation disasters to shutdown shortages to financial woes caused by high jet fuel prices.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 12 May 2026
This record allows scientists to monitor disasters and direct response on the ground and study phenomena.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 12 May 2026
During his temporary leadership, FEMA ceased door-to-door canvassing to reach survivors after disasters, and canceled a multibillion-dollar resilience grant program, since restored by a federal judge.
—Gabriela Aoun Angueira, Chicago Tribune, 11 May 2026
Through skill, sacrifice and professionalism, our first responders have narrowly avoided major disasters, including the recent high-rise fire in Towson that could have ended far worse without rapid response and coordination on scene.
—Nick Stewart, Baltimore Sun, 9 May 2026
Which disasters qualify for federal support would also change.
—ABC News, 7 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disasters
Noun
-
California is being hammered with more frequent and devastating catastrophes, and that’s making the entire insurance market riskier and more expensive, exacerbating mistakes made by government and the private sector alike.—
Ben Allen,
Oc Register,
2 May 2026
-
What was in the hearts of the humans who diarized catastrophes on the Elbe’s river rocks seven centuries ago—and in 2018?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The massive rocket has encountered a number of anomalies and failures since its debut in April 2023 ended in a premature explosion, including fiery mishaps both on the test stand and mid-flight that have attracted plenty of headlines.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
However, residents are still under a boil water order while crews continue testing and monitoring for additional failures.—
Spencer Wilson,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Early in his life, Short experienced multiple family tragedies in a short span of time, including the death of his older brother David in a car accident in 1962 when the actor was only 12-years-old.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
11 May 2026
-
Everyone was in a hurry to move forward into a newly peaceful world, a world without the tragedies of war abroad and the curse of sickness at home.—
Fran Moreland Johns,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
So there’s been a lot of disappointments in the build up.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Their first season under Quenneville was a twisting, turning, end-over-end journey through disappointments, rallies, peaks and valleys.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Zelensky said on Sunday morning that the Russians had launched 3,170 drones, 1,300 bombs, and over 70 missiles at Ukraine, killing 52 people and injuring 346 others.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
17 May 2026
-
And farmers kill elephants by gunshot, electrocution and jaw bombs — explosives hidden in food that shatter an elephant's jaws so the animal starves to death.—
Diaa Hadid,
NPR,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The winter had been a season of calamities, with one emergency or challenge after another.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
-
Farmers markets — that humble and charming throwback to a bygone era — are also struggling with higher fuel prices, after weathering the economic calamities of the pandemic and other misfortunes.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
Remember though, like with most Wall Street history, there will be winners and there will be losers.—
Brian Sullivan,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
There will be both winners and losers when the dust settles.—
Phillip Molnar,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disasters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disasters. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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