1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business
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2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a calamitous flood that destroyed the town's central business district
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Recent Examples of calamitous
This calamitous period of his rule is glossed over in the hagiographical accounts of his life.
—
Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
As chronicled in Episode 8, a calculated massacre of hundreds of locals has taken place, to distract from — and ultimately justify — the Empire’s aggressive and eventually calamitous extraction of valuable calcite from Ghorman.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025
The risks of escalation, whether intentional or accidental, are higher than ever, with the consequences of miscalculation potentially calamitous for South Asia and the world.
—Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
They had just been relegated to the fifth tier of English football and were reeling from three years of calamitous mismanagement under Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
As chronicled in Episode 8, a calculated massacre of hundreds of locals has taken place, to distract from — and ultimately justify — the Empire’s aggressive and eventually calamitous extraction of valuable calcite from Ghorman.
—Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 10 May 2025
The risks of escalation, whether intentional or accidental, are higher than ever, with the consequences of miscalculation potentially calamitous for South Asia and the world.
—Sushant Singh, Foreign Affairs, 29 Apr. 2025
They had just been relegated to the fifth tier of English football and were reeling from three years of calamitous mismanagement under Italian businessman Francesco Becchetti.
—Matt Slater, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamitous
Adjective
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Though Rivera was strong on balance beam and floor, posting the highest mark on beam and the third-best on floor, a disastrous bar routine took the Olympian out of the gold medal race.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Both Israel and Iran have nuclear capabilities, which means that any escalation in fighting could have disastrous consequences for the international community.—
Theo Burman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Day laborers have been crucial to rebuilding efforts after Los Angeles County’s devastating January firestorms.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
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The most devastating feedback came from a founder Landau idolized.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Selling bitcoin volatility into a bull market could prove fatal.—
Alexander S. Blume,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Here's what to know about the rare, but often fatal, disease.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
-
An unfortunate series of events in the eighth inning led to the Brewers going up 3-1.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
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The polished old pro bent time and space, keeping the unfortunate new work to a minimum and running through his hits, reliving, nearly chronologically, the thrill of experiencing his catalog all over again at a speed run.—
Abe Beame,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Decades later, Iraqis still did not have 24-hour electricity due to that brief but intensely destructive air campaign.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
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When a rocket releases a satellite in this type of high-energy orbit, the upper stage has usually burned almost all of its propellant, leaving little fuel to steer itself back into Earth's atmosphere for a destructive reentry.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamitous. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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