disastrous

/dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/

//dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"disastrous" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“disastrous” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #11,532 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#11,532
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of the nature of a disaster; calamitous.

Key facts for disastrous
PropertyValue
Headworddisastrous
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/
Letters10
Frequency rank#11,532
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “disastrous” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). disastrous lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for disastrous is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/. Corpus data places it at rank #11,532 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for disastrous, with forms such as "ddisastrous", "diasstrous", and "disasrtous". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From disaster + -ous, after Middle French desastreux (modern French désastreux; from desastre (modern French désastre, “disaster”; from des- + astre, a calque of Italian disastro) + -eux), itself after Italian disastroso, from disastro + -oso, from dis- (“a… The correct English form is disastrous, spelled D-I-S-A-S-T-R-O-U-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of the nature of a disaster; calamitous.
  2. 2
    Foreboding disaster; ill-omened.

Etymology

From disaster + -ous, after Middle French desastreux (modern French désastreux; from desastre (modern French désastre, “disaster”; from des- + astre, a calque of Italian disastro) + -eux), itself after Italian disastroso, from disastro + -oso, from dis- (“away, without”) (from Latin dis-) + astro (“star, planet”) (from Latin astrum (“star, celestial body”), from Ancient Greek ᾰ̓́στρον (ắstron)).

Synonyms

apocalypticcalamitouscataclysmalcataclysmiccatastrophicdeadlydebaculardestructivedevastatingdisadventurousdisastrouseradicativeextirpativefatalharmfullethalperniciousruinouswoeful

This word in other languages

desastroso(Español)désastreux(Français)desaströs(Deutsch)desastroso(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddisastrous,diasstrous,disasrtous,disasstrous,disastorus,disastrosu,disastrouss,disastrrous,disastruos,disasttrous,disatsrous,dissastrous,dissatrous,dsiastrous,idsastrous

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of disastrous - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddisastrous1diasstrous2disasrtous2disasstrous1disastorus2disastrosu2disastrouss1disastrrous1
Edit distance from "disastrous"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "disastrous"?
"disastrous" is spelled D-I-S-A-S-T-R-O-U-S. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/.
What does "disastrous" mean?
As an adjective, "disastrous" means: Of the nature of a disaster; calamitous.
What are common misspellings of "disastrous"?
Common misspellings include "ddisastrous", "diasstrous", "disasrtous", "disasstrous", "disastorus". The correct spelling is "disastrous".
How do you pronounce "disastrous"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "disastrous" is /dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "disastrous"?
From disaster + -ous, after Middle French desastreux (modern French désastreux; from desastre (modern French désastre, “disaster”; from des- + astre, a calque of Italian disastro) + -eux), itself after Italian disastroso, from disastro + -oso, fro... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “disastrous”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-I-S-A-S-T-R-O-U-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈzɑː.stɹəs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list