Synonyms

natural disaster

American

[nach-er-uhl-di-zas-ter] / ˈnætʃ ər əl dɪˈzæs tər /

noun

a sudden, severe event in nature, such as a flood, earthquake, wildfire, etc., especially one that causes widespread damage and harm.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The stories in Lauren Groff’s third collection, “Brawler,” largely feature people who’ve hit crisis points in their lives: the abusive partner, the natural disaster, the relapse, the deathbed.

From Los Angeles Times

In 2024, Congress approved $10 billion in bailout funds and $21 billion in natural disaster relief for growers and ranchers.

From The Wall Street Journal

“One thing is to provide short-term aid after a natural disaster such as a hurricane or an earthquake,” said oil expert Francisco Barnés de Castro, a former dean of Mexico’s National Autonomous University.

From The Wall Street Journal

It could, for example, lead to states saying that federal agents can’t come in to help people in a natural disaster.

From Salon

The phenomenon of panic buying, or overspending on goods before a natural disaster, is well documented.

From MarketWatch

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023