Disastrous — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /di-ˈza-strəs/ di·sas·trous

Meaning & Definition of Disastrous

Disastrous (adjective)

  1. attended by or causing suffering or disaster, calamitous
  2. terrible, horrendous

Disastrous (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. bringing about ruin or misfortune

    "a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret"

    similar: calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, fatal, fateful, ruinous, unfortunate
    related: apocalyptic, hapless, ill-fated, ill-starred, luckless, adverse, baleful, baneful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial
    near: fluky, fortuitous, fortunate, happy, lucky, providential, auspicious, bright, encouraging, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, optimistic, promising, propitious, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat

  2. causing or tending to cause destruction

    "a disastrous fire from which the town never fully recovered"

    similar: annihilatory, calamitous, cataclysmal, destructive, devastating, devastative, ruinous
    related: antibiotic, biocidal, baleful, deadly, deathly, fatal, fell, killer, lethal, mortal, murderous, pestilent, poisonous, virulent, vital, deleterious, detrimental, harmful, pernicious
    opposite: nondestructive
    near: preservative, protective, constructive, creative, formative, productive, harmless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, ameliorative, helpful, useful, healthful, healthy, nonfatal, nonlethal, salubrious, wholesome

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Disastrous

The most common words with a similar meaning to Disastrous:

calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, fatal, fateful, ruinous, unfortunate, annihilatory, devastating, devastative

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Disastrous

Words with the opposite meaning of Disastrous:

nondestructive

Related Words for Disastrous

apocalyptic, hapless, ill-fated, ill-starred, luckless, adverse, baleful, baneful, damaging, deleterious, detrimental, evil, harmful, hurtful, ill, injurious, noxious, pernicious, prejudicial, antibiotic, biocidal, deadly, deathly, fell, killer, lethal, mortal, murderous, pestilent, poisonous

Near Antonyms of Disastrous

fluky, fortuitous, fortunate, happy, lucky, providential, auspicious, bright, encouraging, fair, golden, heartening, hopeful, optimistic, promising, propitious, rose-colored, rosy, upbeat, preservative, protective, constructive, creative, formative, productive, harmless, innocent, innocuous, inoffensive, ameliorative

Word Forms of Disastrous

Derived words: disastrously (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Disastrous

First known use: 1594

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Disastrous

Frequently Asked Questions about Disastrous

What does "Disastrous" mean?

"Disastrous" means attended by or causing suffering or disaster, calamitous. As an adjective, it is defined as: attended by or causing suffering or disaster, calamitous. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Disastrous"?

Other words for "Disastrous" include calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, fatal, fateful and ruinous. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Disastrous" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Disastrous"?

There are 44 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Disastrous". Common alternatives include calamitous, cataclysmal, catastrophic, damning, destructive, fatal, fateful, ruinous, unfortunate and annihilatory.

What is the opposite of "Disastrous"?

Antonyms of "Disastrous" include nondestructive. Near antonyms include fluky, fortuitous, fortunate and happy.

How do you use "Disastrous" in a sentence?

Examples of "Disastrous" in a sentence: "a split-second, disastrous decision that I would forever regret"; "a disastrous fire from which the town never fully recovered".

Is "Disastrous" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Disastrous" is an adjective.

Is "Disastrous" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Disastrous" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Disastrous"?

"Disastrous" is pronounced /di-ˈza-strəs/ and divided into syllables as di·sas·trous.