1
as in fatal
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a disastrous fire from which the town never fully recovered
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disastrous
But Cheney’s decision was arguably one of the most disastrous in American history.
—
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
During Mao Zedong’s disastrous Great Leap Forward, from 1958 to 1961, the Chinese government released no accurate mortality data.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
That could be disastrous for many SNAP recipients, such as Shenita Melton.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
Would the Iraq War, arguably one of the most disastrous and avoidable in American history, have happened without Vice President Dick Cheney's involvement?
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 5 Nov. 2025
During Mao Zedong’s disastrous Great Leap Forward, from 1958 to 1961, the Chinese government released no accurate mortality data.
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2025
That could be disastrous for many SNAP recipients, such as Shenita Melton.
—Maria Aspan, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
Would the Iraq War, arguably one of the most disastrous and avoidable in American history, have happened without Vice President Dick Cheney's involvement?
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disastrous
Adjective
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Yet a drumbeat of Mamdani’s past statements about Israel did not prove politically fatal in New York City in 2025.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
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The special explores theories about why the thieves targeted specific displays, who orchestrated this brazen operation and which fatal flaws in their plan ultimately led to their capture.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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After a devastating fire leveled the popular Auburn Cafe in Ecorse, a new iteration − the Auburn Taverna − is now open in Wyandotte, a few miles further downriver and inside the former Bobcat Bonnie's space.—
Susan Selasky,
Freep.com,
10 Nov. 2025
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Maui also made the list for 2026, as the Hawaiian island has proved its resilience since the devastating 2023 wildfires and has continued to rebuild.—
Natalia Senanayake,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Liverpool were competitive in the first half, and perhaps unfortunate to see Virgil van Dijk’s equaliser ruled out for interference from an offside position, but City pressed home their advantage through the brilliance of left-winger Jeremy Doku.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
10 Nov. 2025
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The story takes place at a grand country house where the guests have an unfortunate habit of dying, or nearly dying, under seemingly unrelated circumstances.—
Anna Russell,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In September, Typhoon Ragasa brought destructive winds and torrential rain to the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China as the strongest storm in the region this year.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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While Indonesia’s latest quakes did not generate tsunami alerts, past events have shown that similar offshore earthquakes can trigger destructive waves.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Drone footage showed catastrophic flooding that turned streets into rivers, submerged homes and overturned cars as Typhoon Kalmaegi, known locally as Tino, dumped more than a month’s worth of rain in only 24 hours in some areas.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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However, this approach defeats the primary purpose of insurance, which is to protect against catastrophic costs in the event of an unexpected medical crisis.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disastrous. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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