calamitous

adjective

ca·lam·i·tous kə-ˈla-mə-təs

Synonyms of calamitous

: being, causing, or accompanied by calamity

calamitous events

a calamitous earthquake

calamitously adverb

Examples of calamitous in a Sentence

the calamitous state of the nation's economy a calamitous decision to sell their products online exclusively ruined the business

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Brown was married at the church altar in the spring of ‘93, months before that calamitous summer. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 His grief was crushing, paralyzing, calamitous. — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 22 June 2026 When Odysseus’s men eat Helios’s cattle, the sun god appeals to Zeus, who sends such a calamitous storm that Odysseus alone survives. — Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 12 June 2026 The entire season to that point had taken place over the course of one evening, and, in a breath of fresh air, the finale spans the days following that calamitous — but ultimately successful — service. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for calamitous

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French calamiteux "suffering misfortune, miserable," borrowed from Latin calamitōsus "liable to damage or disaster, afflicted by disaster, ill-starred, involving damage or disaster, ruinous," by haplology from *calamitātōsus, from calamitāt-, calamitās "disaster, misfortune, calamity" + -ōsus -ous

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of calamitous was in 1545

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

calamitoid

calamitous

calamity

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Calamitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/calamitous. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

calamitous

adjective

ca·lam·i·tous kə-ˈlam-ət-əs

: causing or accompanied by calamity

calamitous events

calamitously adverb

calamitousness noun

calamitous

adjective

Synonyms of calamitous

Examples of calamitous in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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