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Disastrous - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Disastrous means causing great damage, harm, or failure. It describes events or actions with extremely negative consequences, such as natural disasters or catastrophic mistakes. The word emphasizes severity and ruin.

disastrous

/dɪˈzæstrəs/ /dɪˈzɑːstrəs/

Definition:

Causing great damage, suffering, or failure; extremely bad or unfortunate.

Synonyms:

catastrophic, calamitous, devastating, ruinous

Part of Speech:

adjective

Antonyms:

successful, fortunate

Common Collocations:

disastrous consequences, disastrous effect, disastrous outcome, disastrous event

Derivatives:

disastrously, disastrousness

Usage Tips:

Use "disastrous" to describe events or results with severe negative impacts; avoid for minor inconveniences.

Common Phrases:

a disaster waiting to happen, spell disaster, end in disaster

Etymology:

From French "désastreux," derived from Italian "disastro," meaning "ill-starred" (dis- + astro "star").

Examples:

  • 1. The hurricane had a disastrous impact on the coastal town.
  • 2. His decision proved disastrous for the company's future.
  • 3. The party was a disastrous failure due to poor planning.
  • 4. The team suffered a disastrous defeat in the final match.

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