1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a calamitous flood that destroyed the town's central business district
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of calamitous
The effect of the policy on health coverage in Arkansas was calamitous.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024
Russia’s strategy failed only because Ukrainian society remained firmly pro-Western, encouraged by the economic opportunities the European Union offered, and deterred by the calamitous Russian management of its proxy statelets in the Donbas region.
—Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024
Opening with the calamitous IPO of a green-energy startup managed by the series’ fictional banking giant, Pierpoint & Co., the season took a scalpel to the hypocrisy-prone phenomenon of socially conscious capitalism.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
Grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, two generations removed from the Nazis’ horrors, are stepping up to tell the stories of their grandparents, eager to show there are still lessons to learn from the calamitous but increasingly distant years of World War II.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for calamitous 
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2024
Russia’s strategy failed only because Ukrainian society remained firmly pro-Western, encouraged by the economic opportunities the European Union offered, and deterred by the calamitous Russian management of its proxy statelets in the Donbas region.
—Niall Ferguson, The Atlantic, 10 Dec. 2024
Opening with the calamitous IPO of a green-energy startup managed by the series’ fictional banking giant, Pierpoint & Co., the season took a scalpel to the hypocrisy-prone phenomenon of socially conscious capitalism.
—Judy Berman, TIME, 3 Dec. 2024
Grandchildren of Holocaust survivors, two generations removed from the Nazis’ horrors, are stepping up to tell the stories of their grandparents, eager to show there are still lessons to learn from the calamitous but increasingly distant years of World War II.
—Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for calamitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for calamitous
Adjective
-
The Chargers ended an otherwise disastrous first half against the Denver Broncos with a rare fair catch free kick from Cameron Dicker that cut the Chargers deficit to 21-13 entering the locker room.Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Bridges blocked out the noise, tuning out the relentless social media scrutiny after a disastrous start to the season.Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
This social isolation and loss of support – even from close friends and family members – is a devastating and often unrecognized side effect of the disease.Yuki Noguchi, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024
-
The Dalan vaccine defends against a devastating bacterial disease aptly named American Foulbrood, and Kleiser sees it as a first step toward keeping the roughly 3 million honeybee colonies in the U.S. healthy.Amy Feldman, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Turner, 40, was sentenced in Kenton County Circuit Court on Monday to 12½ years in prison for her role in the August 2023 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Seth Burns.Quinlan Bentley, The Courier-Journal, 19 Dec. 2024
-
The report was released a day after a fatal school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, which left one student and one teacher dead, and six others injured, along with the suspect.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
My role has not been to judge or point fingers at any party involved in this unfortunate situation.Arlyssa D. Becenti, The Arizona Republic, 16 Dec. 2024
-
The unfortunate trend is certainly concerning for a Lions team that is hoping to make a deep playoff run.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
City sorely lack a reliable, destructive attacking presence when playing this way — something only made clearer when the other team bulldoze through them with, as happened on Saturday, a former City player.Thom Harris, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
-
Hassan is charged with distribution of information relating to explosives, destructive devices and weapons of mass destruction in furtherance of the commission of a federal crime.Louis Casiano, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near calamitous
Cite this Entry
“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/calamitous. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share