1. (

• calamity ,
• catastrophe ,
• disaster ,
• tragedy ,
• cataclysm

) an event resulting in great loss and misfortune; "the whole city was affected by the irremediable calamity"; "the earthquake was a disaster" ;

2. (

• catastrophe ,
• disaster

) a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune; "lack of funds has resulted in a catastrophe for our school system"; "his policies were a disaster" ;

3. (

• catastrophe ,
• cataclysm

) a sudden violent change in the earth's surface ;