calamitous

[kuh-lam-i-tuhs]

adjective

1. causing or involving calamity; disastrous.

   a calamitous defeat.

   Synonyms: devastating, ruinous, catastrophic
   Antonyms: advantageous, beneficial

calamitous

/ kəˈlæmɪtəs /

adjective

1. causing, involving, or resulting in a calamity; disastrous

Other Word Forms

• calamitously adverb
• calamitousness noun
• uncalamitous adjective
• uncalamitously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of calamitous¹

First recorded in 1535–45; calamit(y) + -ous

Example Sentences

“You come here for a unique window into this pivotal calamitous moment that wiped out the dinosaurs and made the modern world as we know it,” Mr. Lacovara says.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The immediate cause of his calamitous fin de régime is now clear.

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Their problems on the square continued with the calamitous run out of Gill, who at times in the series has seemed immovable.

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“This is one of the most calamitous and devastating bills of our lifetime.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But behind a sharp war of words lie urgent calculations to avoid calamitous miscalculation.

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Related Words

• adverse 
• cataclysmic 
• catastrophic 
• deadly 
• devastating 
• dire 
• fatal 
• grievous 
• heartbreaking 
• lamentable 
• pernicious 
• regrettable 
• ruinous 
• unfavorable 
• unfortunate 
• woeful