Hunters in the snow Apocalypse waiting to happen

disaster
noun
di·;sas·;ter di-;za-st;r  -;sa-
pluraldisasters
Synonyms of disaster

Simple Definition
A Simple Definition is available from our Learner's Dictionary to help you understand the meaning faster.
1
: a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction
natural disasters
2
: someone or something that is very bad: such as
a
: someone or something that is extremely unsuccessful
The wedding reception was a complete disaster.
Brilliant at maths and languages, she was a disaster in physical education …
—Derek Scally
b
: someone or something that has a very bad effect or result
The new coach was a disaster for the team.
"… for the average person, when unemployment strikes, it is a disaster for them. …"
—Peggy Nash
The Battle of Fort Washington took place at the north end of Manhattan Island. It was an unmitigated disaster.
—John F. Di Leo
It can be tough to tell, though, whether an investment is solid or a financial disaster waiting to happen.
—Katie Brockman
… the police chief … warned colleagues of the potential for a deadly accident. And … the editor of a major … magazine said it was a recipe for disaster.
—Patrick Kingsley
These negative reviews aren't the end of the world, but they can spell disaster for your business unless you know how to properly respond.
—Amine Rahal
c
: someone who is in a very agitated emotional state : wreck
"… I cried like a baby and kind of had a breakdown. I really just lost it. The weekend after we wrapped, I was a disaster. …"
—Alex Borstein
d
: someone or something that is in a very disordered state or condition : mess
The house is a complete disaster.
I got caught in the rain and showed up looking like a disaster.
3
obsolete, occult : an unfavorable aspect (see aspect sense 2a) of a planet or star

Did you know?
Disaster has its roots in the belief that the positions of stars influence the fate of humans, often in destructive ways; its original meaning in English was "an unfavorable aspect of a planet or star." The word comes to us through Middle French and the Old Italian word disastro, from the Latin prefix dis- and Latin astro, meaning "star." Another unfortunate word that comes to us from astrological beliefs is "ill-starred." Now generally used in the sense of "unlucky" or "having or destined to a hapless fate," "ill-starred" was originally used literally to describe someone born under or guided by an evil star. We also have star-crossed, meaning "not favored by the stars" or "ill-fated."

Synonyms of disaster
Relevance
catastrophe
tragedy
apocalypse
calamity
Examples of disaster in a Sentence
The program examined several bridge failures and other engineering disasters.
The new regulations could be a disaster for smaller businesses.
They're trying to find a way to avoid disaster.
The dinner party was a complete disaster.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The club was rebuilding after the 1958 Munich air disaster but won a first post-Munich trophy, the FA Cup, earlier that year.
— Andy Mitten, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
In nearby Anderson in Madison County, Indiana, the mayor declared a local disaster emergency and issued evacuation orders Thursday along the swelling White River and other waterways.
— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Cali's mayor has called for residents to avoid the disaster zone to give rescue teams room to work and the silence their listening devices need to detect signs of life.
— Brittney Melton, NPR, 13 Aug. 2026
Colombia’s government declared a national disaster, and world leaders from the United States, Mexico and across Latin America mobilized assistance.
— Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Word History
Etymology
borrowed from Middle French & Italian; Middle French desastre, borrowed from Italian disastro, from dis- dis- + astro "heavenly body," borrowed from Latin astrum — more at astral

First Known Use
1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disaster was in 1567
See more words from the same year