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

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

Pointing out that this is disastrous for humanity from the perspective of our basic survival, Moroz added that “support for basic science, and marine biology in particular, is the only reasonable and cost-efficient way to ensure a healthy life for our children and grandchildren.”

From Salon

Now, turning their backs on the power given them by the Constitution and the WPR, Congress, with that AUMF, acceded to the expansion of presidential powers and opened the door to the disastrous wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere early in this century.

From Salon

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

Related Words

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