disastrous

[dih-zas-truh s, -zah-struh s]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR disastrous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing great distress or injury; ruinous; very unfortunate; calamitous: The rain and cold proved disastrous to his health.

Archaic. foreboding disaster.

Origin of disastrous

1580–90; < Middle French desastreux, Italian disastroso. See disaster, -ous

Related formsdis·as·trous·ly, adverbdis·as·trous·ness, nounnon·dis·as·trous, adjectivenon·dis·as·trous·ly, adverbnon·dis·as·trous·ness, nounpre·dis·as·trous, adjectivepre·dis·as·trous·ly, adverbqua·si-dis·as·trous, adjectivequa·si-dis·as·trous·ly, adverbun·dis·as·trous, adjectiveun·dis·as·trous·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for disastrous

Contemporary Examples of disastrous

He knew that a public appearance with Duke could be disastrous.
The Price of Steve Scalise’s Silence
Jason Berry
January 7, 2015
At any moment, the slightest loss in concentration could see a disastrous tumble.
How the Circus Got a Social Conscience
Justin Jones
November 7, 2014
The Ebola pandemic in West Africa is having a disastrous effect on tourism on the whole continent.
Ebola Could Deal a Death Blow to Africa’s Wildlife
Brandon Presser
November 3, 2014
But the consequences of a filing would have been disastrous.
Remember the $182 Billion AIG Bailout? It Just Wasn’t Generous Enough
Daniel Gross
October 15, 2014
Another memorable, if not disastrous, misstep, of course, was his turn as Batman in Batman and Robin.
Clooney: A Constant Charmer at the Altar
Tim Teeman
September 28, 2014

Historical Examples of disastrous

The battle was disastrous for the Egyptians and the valley of the Nile was open to the invaders.
Ancient Man
Hendrik Willem van Loon
Was ever a man placed, he thought, in a position so inextricable, so disastrous?
Malbone
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
It is natural to goodness and innocence, but not the less is the error a disastrous one.
Weighed and Wanting
George MacDonald
Do not let this great and disastrous fall sink you into lower depths of sin.
Life in London
Edwin Hodder
Crane's racing season had been as successful as the Master of Ringwood's had been disastrous.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser

Word Origin and History for disastrous

adj.

1580s, "ill-starred," from French désastreux (16c.), from désastre (see disaster) or from Italian desastroso. Meaning "calamitous" is from c.1600. Related: Disastrously.