Disaster
/dɪˈzɑːstər/
Definitions
A sudden and calamitous event that causes serious damage or loss.
/dɪˈzɑːstər/
A sudden event causing great damage or loss of life.
The hurricane was a major disaster, causing widespread destruction and loss of life.
💡 Simply: Think of a really, really bad thing that happens suddenly and causes a lot of trouble, like a hurricane or a fire. It’s like when your favorite toy breaks in the worst way possible.
👶 For kids: A big, bad thing that causes a lot of trouble and sadness, like a flood or a fire.
More Examples
The company's financial mismanagement led to a disastrous outcome.
The rescue teams worked tirelessly to help the victims of the disaster.
How It's Used
"The earthquake was a major disaster."
"The power outage turned the dinner party into a disaster."
"Climate change poses a potential environmental disaster."
Idioms & expressions
a recipe for disaster
A situation likely to end badly.
"Ignoring safety regulations is a recipe for disaster."
dodge a disaster
To avoid a serious problem or catastrophe.
"The pilot managed to dodge a disaster when he safely landed the plane during the storm."
From Old French *desastre*, from Italian *disastro*, from *dis-* (bad, ill) + *astro* (star), reflecting the belief that negative events were caused by unfavorable star alignments.
The word 'disaster' has been used in English since the 16th century, often to describe events perceived as having an unlucky star alignment influence.
Memory tip
Imagine a giant star (astro) that's gone badly (dis-) and causes destruction.
Word Origin
"bad star"