calamity
/kə'læmiti/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A disastrous event causing great and often sudden damage, distress, or loss; a catastrophe. It refers to an event of extreme severity that brings widespread destruction, suffering, or misfortune.
Usage
- Calamity is a formal and strong noun used to describe events of the utmost severity. It emphasizes the scale of the tragedy and the profound suffering it causes.
- It is often used in news reports, literature, and formal discussions about major tragedies.
- It can describe both natural events (e.g., earthquakes, floods) and man-made events (e.g., wars, economic collapses).
Examples
- The earthquake was a national calamity, leaving thousands homeless.
- Historians often study the calamities that led to the fall of empires.
- The sudden collapse of the company was an economic calamity for the small town.
Advanced Usage
- "Avert a calamity": To prevent a disaster from happening.
- The quick action of the engineers averted a major calamity at the dam.
- "Calamity strikes": A phrase used to describe the sudden occurrence of a disaster.
- When calamity struck, the community came together to help.
Variants and Related Words
- Calamitous (adjective): Characterized by or causing calamity; disastrous.
- The war had calamitous consequences for the region.
Synonyms
- Disaster: An event causing great damage or loss.
- Catastrophe: A sudden and widespread disaster.
- Tragedy: An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress.
- Cataclysm: A large-scale and violent event in the natural world.
Idioms and Phrases
- Calamity Jane: (Informal, often capitalized) A person who habitually predicts or expects disaster; a pessimist. This derives from a nickname and is not directly about the word's core meaning.
- Don't be such a Calamity Jane; the project might just succeed.
Noun
- an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
- the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity
- the earthquake was a disaster