1
as in fatal
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a disastrous fire from which the town never fully recovered
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 disastrous
Speaking Monday, June 15, during an interview at New York City's 92nd Street Y with New Yorker editor David Remnick, Clinton offered her sharpest public criticism yet of Biden's decision to run for a second term before ultimately ending his campaign after a disastrous debate performance.
—
Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Odyssey reveals how one near-disastrous mission became a triumph of ingenuity and teamwork.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 17 June 2026
In 1988, Michael Dukakis tried to rebrand himself as a tough military man using a photo opp with a tank—to disastrous results.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026
His £55million move to Newcastle from Brentford last summer has proven disastrous so far, with injuries plaguing him and only three goals all season.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Odyssey reveals how one near-disastrous mission became a triumph of ingenuity and teamwork.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 17 June 2026
In 1988, Michael Dukakis tried to rebrand himself as a tough military man using a photo opp with a tank—to disastrous results.
—Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026
His £55million move to Newcastle from Brentford last summer has proven disastrous so far, with injuries plaguing him and only three goals all season.
—Tim Spiers, New York Times, 17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disastrous
Adjective
-
Drug dealers mix fentanyl, because of its potency and low cost, with other drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine, which increases the likelihood of a fatal dose, according to the DEA.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
-
Other fatal skydiving crashes in Missouri Sunday’s crash was at least the fourth deadly skydiving incident in Missouri since 1998.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Our prayers continue for those in Congo who are facing this devastating epidemic and for the ongoing efforts to control the disease.—
Kiki Intarasuwan,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Charles Crinklaw is trying to process the devastating loss suffered when a plane full of skydivers crashed Sunday in Butler, Missouri, killing everyone aboard.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
The visible gap for the door mechanism running across the rear fenders is unfortunate, especially since more basic minivans showcase clean surfaces there.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
-
Here's Sophie Cunningham dominating another pre-game entrance before an unfortunate loss to Angel Reese last night.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
This leaves the mid-market trapped in a dangerous wasteland, forced into destructive promotional cycles to protect foot traffic without possessing the scale to survive thin margins.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
-
The Big 12 insists that college athletes betting is destructive to the integrity of sports.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
During The Great Dying, massive volcanic eruptions triggered catastrophic climate changes that altered the planet’s entire biosphere.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
-
Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disastrous. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
