as in disaster
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
this latest breakdown of the car is inconvenient, but not a calamity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 calamity
Non-trade factors played the primary role in bringing about this calamity, particularly a big financial panic in 1893, which led to the collapse of a number of banks and railroads.
—
John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
For decades, the Corps granted emergency permits to quickly repair roads, shipping channels and other facilities that have been destroyed by a hurricane or other calamity.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Some of those calamities could be averted if water utilities catch wear and tear on the system early, Karmous-Edwards said.
—John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2025
Natural calamities—floods, earthquakes, droughts, landslides—have also drained resources.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for calamity
John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
For decades, the Corps granted emergency permits to quickly repair roads, shipping channels and other facilities that have been destroyed by a hurricane or other calamity.
—Lisa Friedman, New York Times, 19 Feb. 2025
Some of those calamities could be averted if water utilities catch wear and tear on the system early, Karmous-Edwards said.
—John Aguilar, The Denver Post, 17 Feb. 2025
Natural calamities—floods, earthquakes, droughts, landslides—have also drained resources.
—Belinda Luscombe, TIME, 7 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for calamity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamity
Noun
-
However, he’s also had his share of expensive disasters, such as Joao Felix, Santiago Arias and Nikola Kalinić.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
30 Mar. 2025
-
All the while, he’s typically dressed in a form-fitting dress, a shoulder-length wig and heeled boots (because open-toed shoes around hatchets and augers could spell disaster).—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
That backstory comes well before the suggestion of an imminent apocalypse that lends a dread-like quality to the trailer for a movie told in reverse chronological order.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
13 Mar. 2025
-
The horsemen of the SaaS apocalypse are productivity gains, structural changes in software and investor sentiment.—
Ron Williams,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
And that March, tragedy struck when three people died in a fatal crowd surge at her concert with Finesse2tymes in Rochester, N.Y.—
Kyle Denis,
Billboard,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The rush occurred mere weeks before Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach’s planned announcement of their spa updates; the tragedy in Los Angeles simply moved up the timeline for the quiet, coastal community’s merits as a luxury wellness hub.—
Jessica Ourisman,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Calamity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamity. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share