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
The alternate approach of passing a bill based on incomplete information and hoping for the best has had disastrous consequences in the past.
—
David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Goalie change Despite Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff dancing around the subject, Alex Lyon was in the starter’s net at the Sabres’ morning skate and the 33-year-old Yale man was replaced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who had a disastrous Game 2.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
After a serviceable 2025, the 33-year-old had a disastrous start to the 2026 season.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The beauty of this bohemian-style rug is that spills and stains aren’t a disastrous occurrence.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Goalie change Despite Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff dancing around the subject, Alex Lyon was in the starter’s net at the Sabres’ morning skate and the 33-year-old Yale man was replaced Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who had a disastrous Game 2.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 23 Apr. 2026
After a serviceable 2025, the 33-year-old had a disastrous start to the 2026 season.
—Tom Dougherty, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The beauty of this bohemian-style rug is that spills and stains aren’t a disastrous occurrence.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disastrous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disastrous
Adjective
-
Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shootings of three adults in Baldwin Park last week — two of whom were a married couple, officials said, who were being mourned by their college-age children.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Police have arrested a man on murder and firearm charges in connection with a fatal shooting in Stratford earlier this month.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Decades later, the protagonist of Repetition reflects on her mother and father’s relationship, about the devastating truths that are the source of her mother’s intense anxieties.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Houston looked good from the start in this one after squandering a six-point lead in the final 26 seconds of regulation in a devastating 112-108 overtime loss Friday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even before the president set off this unfortunate round of gerrymandering, Democratic states such as New York and Illinois were already heavily gerrymandered.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
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He’s beaten by thugs with a crowbar for an unfortunate outburst, exploited by neighbors in the council estate and arrested, all because people don’t understand Tourette syndrome.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The plane hitting the water is destructive enough without the help of a jagged coral reef (improbably far from any coastline) slicing through the aircraft’s undercarriage.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Apr. 2026
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This is a classic destructive straight-line wind setup, and strong storms will certainly be possible.—
Ron Smiley,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite heroic acts of survival, 25 girls and two counselors died in the catastrophic flooding, as did camp co-owner Dick Eastland.—
Brian Brant,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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This year, several Western states had very dry to record-dry winters, setting them up for a potentially catastrophic wildfire season.—
Austin Amestoy,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disastrous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disastrous. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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