disastrous

adjective

di·​sas·​trous di-ˈza-strəs 

 also  -ˈsa-

1

: attended by or causing suffering or disaster : calamitous

a disastrous flood

2

: terrible, horrendous

a disastrous score

disastrously adverb

Synonyms

• calamitous
• cataclysmal
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• damning
• destructive
• fatal
• fateful
• ruinous
• unfortunate

Examples of disastrous in a Sentence

Half the city was destroyed by a disastrous fire.

The bad weather could have a disastrous effect on the area's tourism industry.

His failure to back up the computer files had disastrous consequences.

The strike was economically disastrous.

Recent Examples on the Web

Economists and experts in foreign policy, trade, and business are warning that this approach could be disastrous and potentially land the country in significant stagflation, in which the economy would see a major slowdown, inflation would rise, and unemployment might also head upward. —Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025

Mannes said the compromise child care bill could have disastrous implications. —Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 3 Apr. 2025

The fund was set up to provide funds to artists and art workers impacted by the disastrous Palisades and Eaton wildfires on Jan. 7 in the Los Angeles area. —San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2025

Are these bingeable and malleable like the somewhat disastrous but ambitious fourth season of Arrested Development? —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined at sense 1