disastrous

[ dih-zas-truhs, -zah-struhs ]

adjective

1. causing great distress or injury; ruinous; very unfortunate; calamitous:

   The rain and cold proved disastrous to his health.

2. Archaic. foreboding disaster.

Other Words From

• dis·astrous·ly adverb
• dis·astrous·ness noun
• nondis·astrous adjective
• nondis·astrous·ly adverb
• nondis·astrous·ness noun
• predis·astrous adjective
• predis·astrous·ly adverb
• quasi-dis·astrous adjective
• quasi-dis·astrous·ly adverb
• undis·astrous adjective
• undis·astrous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of disastrous¹

1580–90; < Middle French desastreux, Italian disastroso. See disaster, -ous

Example Sentences

Schmidt, who won three Six Nations titles in six years as Ireland boss, replaced Eddie Jones following Australia's disastrous World Cup campaign.

From BBC

Granted, the event was planned months before the election, but the results, which many people in the country’s most liberal bastions consider disastrous, might have been expected to come up.

From New York Times

He was up against a disastrous Nice defence.

From BBC

He has become an international pariah since launching his disastrous coup, and rarely travels - and it's unlikely he will ever end up in court at The Hague.

From BBC

"Due to their unprecedented nature, these heat waves are usually linked to very severe health impacts, and can be disastrous for agriculture,vegetation and infrastructure," said Kornhuber.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• adverse
• calamitous
• cataclysmic
• catastrophic
• destructive
• dire
• dreadful
• fatal
• fateful
• harmful
• ill-fated
• ruinous
• terrible
• tragic
• unfavorable
• unfortunate