Definitions

disaster

[dih-zas-ter, -zah-ster] / dɪˈzæs tər, -ˈzɑ stər /

NOUN

accident, trouble

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calamity catastrophe collapse crash debacle defeat emergency failure fiasco flood harm hazard holocaust mishap setback tragedy woe

STRONG

adversity affliction bale bane blight blow bust casualty cataclysm collision depression exigency fall flop grief misadventure mischance misfortune reverse rock rough ruin ruination stroke undoing upset washout

WEAK

act of God bad luck bad news bad thing fell stroke hard luck hot water ill luck the worst

Antonyms

STRONGEST

achievement advantage attainment benefit blessing boon good fortune good luck happiness joy miracle success victory win wonder

STRONG

aid building creation encouragement fortune health help prosperity triumph

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Liu's indictment comes in the wake of widely reported findings from a United States investigation into the crash, which was China's deadliest air disaster in decades.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Time Warner’s 2000 merger with budding internet giant AOL, then the largest-ever corporate merger, ended in disaster.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

But the channel proved its worth by providing speedy and continuous updates of stories like the assassination attempt on US President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and the Challenger space shuttle disaster in 1986.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

“It scared enough people in the administration that you were gonna have a cybersecurity disaster that they floated this idea.”

From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026

He’d barely avoided disaster with the damn shawarma; God knew what would happen if he messed this up.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Vocabulary lists containing disaster

Did You Planet? Words With Surprisingly Spacey Origins

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Oh, My Stars! A Solstice Sampler

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Calamity, Catastrophe, and Crisis: Disaster Words

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!