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Definition of disastrous

disastrous

/dɪˈzæstrəs/
di · sas · trous
Adverb:disastrously
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disastrous Lexical Profile

disastrous Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Causing great damage, loss, or destruction; catastrophic.

Example

"The prolonged drought had a disastrous effect on the region's agricultural output."

2

Highly unsuccessful; marked by complete failure or poor performance.

Example

"After a disastrous opening weekend at the box office, the film was quickly pulled from theaters."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for disastrous
Antonyms
View all antonyms for disastrous

Word Nuance & Usage

Frequently misspelled as 'disasterous' due to the pronunciation of the base noun 'disaster'; the correct spelling drops the 'e' before '-ous'.

• Rhymes for disastrous

• Nearby Words

disassociate
disassociation
disaster
disastrous
disastrously
disavow
disavowal

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 16th century from Middle French désastreux or Italian disastroso, meaning 'ill-starred', from dis- (pejorative prefix) and astro ('star' or 'planet', from Latin astrum and Ancient Greek astron), reflecting the ancient astrological belief that calamities were caused by unfavorable planetary alignments.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Disastrous. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/disastrous
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