1
as in fatal
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disastrous
Yvonne and Nick’s disastrous wedding dinner is the day the cast went from nobodies to actual practitioners of the reality-television arts and sciences.
—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 July 2026
Saving people from dastardly supervillains and disastrous earthquakes, those are jobs for Superman.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Getty Images Just a few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Phillies appeared to be playing for little more than respectability after a disastrous start to the 2026 season.
—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In the final episode, a disastrous fire at the Pineville Dam caused the structure to break and resulted in a massive flood in Edgewater.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 July 2026
Saving people from dastardly supervillains and disastrous earthquakes, those are jobs for Superman.
—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
1 July 2026
Getty Images Just a few weeks ago, the Philadelphia Phillies appeared to be playing for little more than respectability after a disastrous start to the 2026 season.
—
Peter Chawaga,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In the final episode, a disastrous fire at the Pineville Dam caused the structure to break and resulted in a massive flood in Edgewater.
—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disastrous
Adjective
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The fatal hit-and-run occurred less than two hours after a 13-year-old boy was killed riding on the back of a moped in Queens after his friend slammed into an open car door and then careened into a moving truck.
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The highest number of fatal attacks, the study found, occurred after high-risk behaviors, including deliberately entering waterways known to contain alligators.
Adjective
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In other words, a more restrictive immigration stance is not just a policy change, but presents a health care issue that could be devastating to millions of American families, said Pillai, who co-authored the KFF report.
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Critics counter that the abrupt withdrawal of aid is already having devastating humanitarian consequences.
Adjective
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As attendees were escorted out of the Great American State Fair on Sunday because of inclement weather, guests noticed an unfortunate typo displayed on a digital billboard at the National Mall.
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They should be trained not to ask a bunch of questions about the medical condition, express doubt, comment that the timing is unfortunate or share private information with co-workers.
Adjective
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Sinlaku’s slow movement (in contrast to Bavi) worsened impacts by keeping destructive winds and torrential rain over the islands for hours, rather than moving through quickly.
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The fire burned simultaneously with the similarly destructive Eaton Fire in Altadena and other communities in the foothills of the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.
Adjective
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On the narrow question of AI’s most catastrophic risks, the major powers are beginning to agree.
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Preexisting callus consistent with a repetitive stress injury leading to a catastrophic musculoskeletal failure.
Cite this Entry
“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disastrous. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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