calamity
word
/kəˈɫæməti/
/kɐlˈæmɪti/
Definition
A sudden and serious event causing great harm, damage, or suffering; a disaster.
Usage & Nuances
Formal or literary; more severe than 'problem' or 'mishap.' Often used for natural disasters ('natural calamity'), war, or major accidents. Not usually used for minor troubles.
Spanish: calamidad - desastrePortuguese (BR): calamidade - desastrePortuguese (PT): calamidade - desastreChinese (Simplified): 灾难 - 大祸Chinese (Traditional): 災難 - 大禍Hindi: आपदा - विपत्तिArabic: كارثة - مصيبةBengali: দুর্যোগ - বিপর্যয়Russian: бедствие - катастрофаJapanese: 災厄 - 災害Vietnamese: tai họa - thảm họaKorean: 재난 - 참사Turkish: felaket - afetUrdu: آفت - مصیبتIndonesian: malapetaka - bencana
Example Sentences
It was pure calamity when the power went out during the surgery.
natural
Losing their home in the flood was a calamity for the family.
basic
Many people suffered after the calamity struck.
basic
The company went bankrupt, and for its workers, it was an economic calamity.
natural
They tried everything to avoid a calamity, but the storm was simply too strong.
natural
The earthquake was a terrible calamity for the city.
basic