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disastrous

0 antonyms and opposites of disastrous, grouped by meaning.

Adj — Causing great damage or harm; having the nature of a disaster.

How to use disastrous

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

disastrous consequences disastrous decision prove disastrous

Etymology

From disaster + -ous, echoing French desastreux and ultimately Italian disastroso.

Full origin of disastrous →

Frequently asked questions

What does “disastrous” mean?

The word “disastrous” means causing great damage or harm; having the nature of a disaster. In plain terms, describes something that has gone, or will go, extremely badly.

How do you pronounce “disastrous”?

“Disastrous” is pronounced dih-ZAH-struhs (/dɪˈzæs.tɹəs/ in IPA).

How do you use “disastrous” in a sentence?

Here is “disastrous” used in a sentence: “The company's disastrous decision led to massive layoffs.”

What is another word for “disastrous”?

Words with a similar meaning to “disastrous” include apocalyptic, calamitous, cataclysmal, cataclysmic, catastrophic and deadly.

What part of speech is “disastrous”?

“Disastrous” is an adjective.

Where does the word “disastrous” come from?

The word “disastrous” comes from French. From disaster + -ous, echoing French desastreux and ultimately Italian disastroso.

Is “disastrous” a common word?

“Disastrous” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

What is the difference between disastrous and unfortunate?

Disastrous describes something causing great damage or harm, on the scale of a disaster, while unfortunate simply means unlucky or regrettable without necessarily implying serious destruction. A disastrous fire destroys property, whereas an unfortunate delay merely causes inconvenience.

Can disastrous be used for outcomes that are not physically destructive?

Yes, disastrous is often used figuratively for outcomes such as a disastrous decision, a disastrous performance, or a disastrous meeting, where the harm is to reputation, results, or relationships rather than physical property. This figurative use is extremely common in everyday and business English.

What nouns most commonly follow disastrous?

Disastrous frequently pairs with nouns like consequences, results, effects, decision, and outcome, reflecting its meaning of causing great harm. These collocations appear often in news writing and formal commentary about failures or mistakes.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.