1
as in catastrophe
a sudden violent event that brings about great loss or destruction
hurricanes are natural disasters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in failure
something that has failed
an utter disaster, the play opened and closed on the same miserable night
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of disaster
Critics across the political spectrum have argued that repeatedly extending the emergency effectively converted a disaster-response reserve into a standing funding stream for immigration policy.
—
Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Gregg Phillips, an associate administrator at FEMA, said at a hearing this week that its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Long-term impact Gregg Phillips, an associated administrator at FEMA, said its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
On a personal level, this was another disaster for Frank.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disaster
Garrett Shanley, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
Gregg Phillips, an associate administrator at FEMA, said at a hearing this week that its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
—Mary Clare Jalonick, Chicago Tribune, 12 Feb. 2026
Long-term impact Gregg Phillips, an associated administrator at FEMA, said its disaster relief fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities during a shutdown, but would become seriously strained in the event of a catastrophic disaster.
—Kevin Freking, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
On a personal level, this was another disaster for Frank.
—Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for disaster
Recent Examples of Synonyms for disaster
Noun
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The death happened four years after a previous tragedy near Northstar.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Worst mass shootings in Canada's history The attack on the village of Tumbler Ridge is among the worst shootings in the history of Canada, where such tragedies are relatively rare.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Because of Tuesday’s rule failure, any bills tucked into that measure sit at a standstill.—
Rachel Schilke,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Feb. 2026
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The death certificate listed Fisher’s cause of death as septic shock, a bacterial infection, acute kidney failure and pneumonia.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Sure, there’s the intimation of a world gone to pieces, whether from a quantum apocalypse or an ecological catastrophe; there’s the presentation of a modern self, stripped of its qualities and evacuated of purpose.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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The first time was in 2009, when papers across the country were slashing books coverage in an attempt to stave off budgetary apocalypse.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That disappointment disappeared Tuesday when Bennett was named to the team as a late replacement, filling in for Tampa Bay’s injured forward Anthony Cirelli.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
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Sometimes, to his disappointment, the familiar seal was nowhere in sight.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And perhaps no one is more familiar with how thin the line is between triumph and calamity than Vonn.—
Will Graves,
Twin Cities,
8 Feb. 2026
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James Gilbert / Getty Images College sports’ latest existential crisis is a calamity of its own making.—
Ralph D. Russo,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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That doesn’t mean the class is a bust.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
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Throughout its 17 years, bitcoin has been defined by cycles—booms and busts that are sometimes explicable and sometimes not.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Disaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/disaster. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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