disaster area
Americannoun
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a region or locality in which the population is generally affected by the occurrence of a major disaster, as a widespread flood, an explosion causing extensive damage, or the like.
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such a region or locality officially determined to be eligible, under statutory provisions, for emergency governmental relief.
Etymology
Origin of disaster area
First recorded in 1955–60
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 government's initial toll does not include data from La Guaira -- designated a "disaster area" -- which is also home to the capital's international airport.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
But if AI can turn a 16,000-email disaster area into simple bulleted lists, I might finally make peace with my thousands of unreads.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the island a "disaster area" late Tuesday, warning of "devastating impacts" and "significant damage" to hospitals, homes and businesses.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2025
Gov. John Gilligan sent more than 2,500 National Guard troops into devastated areas and asked the federal government to declare that part of southwestern Ohio a disaster area.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 2, 2024
I’ve been on the receiving end of broadcasts like this from other places—but this is the first time in as long as I can remember that I’m standing in the epicenter of the disaster area.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
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.
