calamity
n.a terrible event that causes a lot of damage or suffering. You use this word for serious disasters like a flood or a sudden personal tragedy.
n.an event resulting in great loss, distress, or misfortune. Often implies a sudden and catastrophic change in circumstances.
“The earthquake was a calamity for the small island nation.”
“The sudden collapse of the bridge was a calamity that the local government struggled to manage.”
“Historians argue that the sudden death of the heir was a national calamity that plunged the kingdom into decades of civil unrest and economic decline.”
Often used in the singular with the indefinite article ('a calamity') or as an uncountable concept in literary contexts.
“David Shoebridge, the Greens’ spokesperson on foreign affairs, told RN Breakfast earlier the Australian commitment of $5m for affected communities in Nepal “won’t come close to touching the sides” of the calamity.”
“Amy Milburn’s production heightens the calamities sufficiently so a simple act like fetching the inspector (James Watterson) a glass of water becomes a feat of physical comedy.”
From Middle French calamité, from Latin calamitās (“loss, damage; disaster”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.