disastrous

D2I1S1A1S1T1R1O1U1S1
UK/dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/US/dɪˈzæs.tɹəs/Australia/dɪˈzaː.stɹəs/

adjective

Of the nature of a disaster; calamitous.

Similar
cataclysmiccatastrophicbalefulill-bodinginauspiciousominoussinisteraugurous
Opposite
auspiciousfortunateauspicialfavorablefortuitous
OriginMiddle French desastreux ← Italian disastro ← Latin dis- →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectivedisastrous (comparative more disastrous, superlative most disastrous)

comparative more disastrous · superlative most disastrous · alternative obsolete disastress

  1. Of the nature of a disaster; calamitous.
    1 more example

    In addition, he was also able to reinforce the unease among progressive Democratic-leaning voters over Clinton’s disastrous pro-interventionist positions, thereby suppressing turnout and encouraging third party support in some key swing states that made the difference in his Electoral College victory.

    2024 August 21, Daniel Falcone, “Trump Was Never a “Moderate” on Foreign Policy”, in Truthout

    Synonyms: cataclysmic, catastrophic

  2. Foreboding disaster; ill-omened.

    A fearsome sight it was to behold how he swelled in his wrath, and his eyes blazed like disastrous stars at midnight, and being wood with anger he gnashed his teeth till the froth stood at his lips and slavered down his chin.

    1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 27

    Synonyms: baleful, ill-boding, inauspicious, ominous, sinister, augurous, baleful, bodeful · Antonyms: auspicious, fortunate, auspicial, auspicious, favorable, fortunate, fortuitous, lucky

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveOf the nature of a disaster; calamitous.

Similar
cataclysmiccatastrophic

adjectiveForeboding disaster; ill-omened.

Similar
balefulill-bodinginauspiciousominoussinisteraugurousbalefulbodefulbodingdiredivinefatalforebodingill-bodingill-fatedill-omenedill-starredinauspicateinauspicious
Opposite
auspiciousfortunateauspicialauspiciousfavorablefortunatefortuitousluckypropitiousprosperousserendipitousteratical
Similar
apocalypticcalamitouscataclysmaldeadlydebaculardestructivedevastatingdisadventurouseradicativeextirpativeharmfullethalperniciousruinouswoeful

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin

Similar
blackcalamitousfatalfatefulunfortunate
Also see
augurousbalefulblackbodefulbodingcalamitousdestructivediredivinefatalfatefulforebodingill-bodingill-omenedill-starredinauspicateinauspiciousnefastousomenicominousportentouspresagefulpresagiousprodigioussinisterstar-crossedunfortunatewoeful

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekᾰ̓́στρον
  2. Latinastrum“star, celestial body”
  3. Latindis-
  4. Italiandisastroso
  5. Italiandisastro
  6. Middle Frenchdesastreux
  7. Englishdisastrous

From disaster + -ous, after Middle French desastreux (modern French désastreux; from desastre (modern French désastre, “disaster”; from des- + astre, a calque of Italian disastro) + -eux), itself after Italian disastroso, from disastro + -oso, from dis- (“away, without”) (from Latin dis-) + astro (“star, planet”) (from Latin astrum (“star, celestial body”), from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́στρον (ắstron)).

More words from Middle French, Italian, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian бедствен, катастрофален
  • бедствен (bedstven)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • катастрофален (katastrofalen)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • пагубен (paguben)foreboding disaster; ill-omened
Catalan desastrós
  • desastrósof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Chinese Mandarin 灾难的, 灾难性的
  • 灾难的of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • 灾难性的foreboding disaster; ill-omened
Dutch rampzalig, catastrofaal
  • rampzaligof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • catastrofaalof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • rampspoedigof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • onheilspellendforeboding disaster; ill-omened
  • sinisterforeboding disaster; ill-omened
Esperanto katastrofa
  • katastrofaof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Finnish tuhoisa, pahaenteinen
  • tuhoisaof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • pahaenteinenforeboding disaster; ill-omened
French désastreux
  • désastreuxof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
German desaströs, katastrophal
  • desaströsof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • katastrophalof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • verheerendof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • verhängnisvollforeboding disaster; ill-omened
Greek καταστροφικός
  • καταστροφικός (katastrofikós)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Hungarian súlyos, katasztrofális
  • súlyosof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • katasztrofálisof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • baljósforeboding disaster; ill-omened
Icelandic hrapallegur
  • hrapallegurof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Japanese 忌まわしい, 忌まわしい
  • 忌まわしい (imawashii)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • 忌まわしい (imawashii)foreboding disaster; ill-omened
Korean 재난의, 처참하다
  • 재난의 (jaenanui)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • 처참하다 (cheochamhada)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Latin calamitōsus
  • calamitōsusof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Portuguese desastroso
  • desastrosoof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Russian бе́дственный, ги́бельный
  • бе́дственный (bédstvennyj)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • ги́бельный (gíbelʹnyj)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • катастрофи́ческий (katastrofíčeskij)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • па́губный (págubnyj)foreboding disaster; ill-omened
Spanish desastroso
  • desastrosoof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Swedish ödesdiger, katastrofal
  • ödesdigerof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
  • katastrofalof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Thai หายนะ
  • หายนะ (hǎa-yá-ná)of the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Turkish feci
  • feciof the nature of a disaster; calamitous
Cite this entry
APA

disastrous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disastrous

MLA

“disastrous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disastrous. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “disastrous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/disastrous.

Source: disastrous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.