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

In the wake of Trump's disastrous win, it's welcome news that he's focusing his love of chaos and division directly on his own caucus.

From Salon

The National Farmers Union has called it "disastrous" for family farms, saying it would see farmers forced to sell land to pay the tax.

From BBC

This first day became an introduction to the way that knowing creation can bring together a wide range of sources that result in a brave and profound cultural diplomacy, which is a disastrous lost art.

From Los Angeles Times

But even beyond that unsolvable problem, it has become clear that the decades-long Democratic Party faith in demographics as destiny was a disastrous mirage.

From Salon

Without expert help, this can have disastrous consequences.

From BBC

Related Words

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