calamitous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of calamitous
First recorded in 1535–45; calamit(y) + -ous
Explanation
A calamitous event is one that leads to a catastrophe — like the calamitous crashing of your parents' car into the garage door. Calamitous is an adjective that is generally used to describe events, and these events are disastrous or destructive. A failed election can be a calamitous event for a politician, especially if he loses by a landslide. Ever heard of Calamity Jane? She was known for her wild, calamitous behavior in the Wild West during the 19th century. Steer clear of anyone with a name like Calamity.
Vocabulary lists containing calamitous
"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
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President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The conflict has been calamitous for much of Asia’s petrochemicals industry, which largely relies on oil from the Middle East to make ingredients for everything from PVC pipes to paracetamol.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
“Malcolm in the Middle,” a popular series about a tightly knit calamitous family of weirdos and the relatively less weird child at its center, is back after 20 years.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
At halfway, this had all of the hallmarks of a calamitous England white-ball defeat.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
The shift is most enduring and consequential across Europe, where the trans-Atlantic partnership that kept the peace after two calamitous world wars is at risk of unraveling.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 31, 2026
I know the unspoken rules of boys, but with girls I sense that I am always on the verge of some unforeseen, calamitous blunder.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
