Word meaning
disaster
noun · dih-ZAS-ter
What does disaster mean?
Disaster means a sudden event causing great damage or loss; a complete failure.
Disaster in a sentence
“The picnic was a disaster once the ants arrived.”
Synonyms for disaster
- catastrophe
- calamity
- fiasco
Where does disaster come from?
From Italian disastro, "ill-starred event."
How to remember disaster
- Say it out loud a few times: dih-ZAS-ter.
- Write one sentence of your own using disaster, about something that happened to you today.
- Quiz yourself tomorrow, in three days, and next week. Spaced reviews are what make new words stick.
More words worth knowing
- dilapidated — in a state of disrepair or ruin as a result of age or neglect.
- procrastinate — to delay or postpone action.
- mitigate — to make something less severe, serious, or painful.
- largesse — generosity in giving money or gifts.
- discreet — careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, especially to avoid causing offense or to keep a secret.
- obfuscate — to make something obscure, unclear, or hard to understand.