1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of calamitous
In a message posted on its website, SXSW Sydney confirmed that the event has been canceled, in a further blow to the arts and culture scene in Australia that is reeling from the calamitous cancellation of Adelaide Writers Week on Tuesday.
—
Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Adams’s 2004 novel The Religion War tells the story of a man trying to stop a calamitous war between Christians and Muslims.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Whatever Iran’s hopes about trying to help the Palestinians, the country where Iran has been most active in the region, with a calamitous humanitarian cost, has been Syria, and after spending an untold number of soldiers and dollars there, the Assad regime completely crumbled.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
The Juniper Tree’s protagonist carries on in the face of maternal abuse, a scandalous out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and a series of calamitous events that expose the dark underside of domesticity.
—Sara Krolewski, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026
Advertisement Adams’s 2004 novel The Religion War tells the story of a man trying to stop a calamitous war between Christians and Muslims.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 14 Jan. 2026
Whatever Iran’s hopes about trying to help the Palestinians, the country where Iran has been most active in the region, with a calamitous humanitarian cost, has been Syria, and after spending an untold number of soldiers and dollars there, the Assad regime completely crumbled.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2026
The Juniper Tree’s protagonist carries on in the face of maternal abuse, a scandalous out-of-wedlock pregnancy, and a series of calamitous events that expose the dark underside of domesticity.
—Sara Krolewski, The Atlantic, 4 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for calamitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamitous
Adjective
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However, despite his thin background, when the financial crisis of that decade broke out, Warsh was by all accounts knowledgeable and effective in the Fed’s efforts to prevent a disastrous meltdown of financial markets.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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Political commentator Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host and first-time candidate, made the argument to viewers that California’s problems have been caused by the disastrous policies of the people who have been in power during 16 years of one-party – Democratic party – rule.—
Susan Shelley,
Oc Register,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Charbonnet and Walker made up the running back duo that was the pace-changer for the Seahawks offense, the complement to their devastating aerial attack led by Sam Darnold.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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As a result, their students experienced minimal learning loss and fewer social-emotional setbacks; public school students saw devastating declines in achievement and well-being.—
Paul Vallas,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Italy’s specialist mountain rescue organization revealed the fatal disasters were caused by weak layers of fresh snow, unstable enough that the passage of a single person could trigger an avalanche.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The fatal shootings and immigration agents' tactics in Minnesota have alienated a growing share of Americans and caused friction within the Republican Party.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The two recent deaths in Minneapolis are an unfortunate result of less-then-peaceful protesting.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
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The 2025 August slide from the Padre with the biggest contract was especially unfortunate as the Padres (16-12 in August) were unable to fully capitalize on the Dodgers’ struggles (15-13 in August) to overtake them in the NL West.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The first was late January’s destructive snow and ice storm that tracked across the South and then up along the East Coast.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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But sometimes our most destructive adversary is within us.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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This sympathetic surge is caused by the release of noradrenaline, which, in the context of cancer, has catastrophic consequences.—
Jacek Krywko,
Scientific American,
4 Feb. 2026
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Jerome Powell, the Fed’s current chair, made a choice to avert a catastrophic economic crash during the COVID-19 pandemic, accepting the risk of a bout of inflation.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamitous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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