- disaster
- noun1 bad event/situationADJECTIVE▪ awful, big, catastrophic, devastating, enormous (esp. AmE), great, horrible, huge, large-scale (esp. AmE), major, massive, terrible, worst▪
the biggest disaster in the history of the industry
▪ deadly (AmE)▪the deadliest natural disaster in US history
▪ imminent, impending, looming▪Everyone had the feeling that disaster was imminent.
▪It seemed that nothing could prevent the impending disaster.
▪ possible, potential▪ certain▪It would spell certain economic disaster for our local community.
▪ coming, future▪He called for a full investigation to help prevent future disasters.
▪ unforeseen▪the unforeseen disaster that has just been thrust upon us
▪ unprecedented▪This is an unprecedented natural disaster.
▪ global, national▪ natural▪earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters
▪ man-made▪ air, ecological, environmental, flood, flooding, hurricane, military, mine (esp. AmE), mining, nuclear, rail, tsunami▪fears of a nuclear disaster
▪ human, humanitarian▪the world's worst humanitarian disaster
▪ economic, financial, social▪Their departure spells social disaster for the region.
▪ personal▪ unfolding▪the unfolding storm disaster in the South
▪ costly▪Hurricane Katrina was the costliest natural disaster in history.
VERB + DISASTER▪ bring, cause, create, lead to▪One person's mistakes can bring disaster to someone else.
▪attempts to find out what caused the disaster
▪ mean, spell▪Just one mistake can mean disaster.
▪The drought spelled economic disaster for the country.
▪ avert, avoid, prevent, save sb/sth from, stave off, ward off▪A major disaster was averted only just in time.
▪What can be done to ward off environmental disaster?
▪ anticipate, foresee, predict▪Independent analysts in the market predicted disaster.
▪ court, invite▪It's courting disaster to go into the mountains without proper weatherproof clothing.
▪ be heading for▪his firm belief that the whole world was heading for disaster
▪ face▪In the last match of the series England were facing disaster.
▪ experience, suffer▪There are many who have suffered personal disasters but managed to rebuild their lives.
▪ handle▪No government could have handled a disaster of this magnitude effectively.
▪ overcome, survive▪It was a miracle any of the passengers or crew survived the disaster.
▪ end in, result in▪The show ended in disaster when the tent collapsed.
DISASTER + VERB▪ happen, occur, strike, take place▪Will we ever find out why the disaster occurred?
▪Everything was going fine. Then, without warning, disaster struck.
▪When disaster struck, no one was prepared.
▪ unfold▪Europe's worst environmental disaster is unfolding at this very moment.
▪ befall sb/sth, hit sb/sth, strike (sb/sth)▪the economic disaster that befell the country
▪ affect sb/sth▪communities affected by disasters
▪ loom, threaten▪We could all see that disaster loomed for the company.
▪ ensue▪His prediction was not heeded, and disaster ensued.
DISASTER + NOUN▪ area, scene, site, zone▪Only rescue workers are allowed into the disaster area.
▪The area has been declared a disaster zone.
▪ aid (esp. AmE), assistance (esp. AmE), relief, response▪counties eligible for federal disaster assistance
▪The disaster relief operation will continue over the summer.
▪ recovery (esp. AmE)▪The majority of enterprises aren't spending very much on disaster recovery at all.
▪ plan, planning (both esp. AmE)▪We have a disaster plan in place before every mission.
▪ preparation, preparedness (both esp. AmE)▪the planning and implementation of disaster preparedness
▪ management▪They had no real experience in disaster management.
▪ declaration (AmE)▪This morning I signed a disaster declaration for the state.
▪ fund▪the governor's disaster fund
▪ victim▪ scenario▪It become a financial disaster scenario.
▪ film (esp. BrE), flick (informal), movie (esp. AmE)▪a Hollywood disaster movie
PREPOSITION▪ in a/the disaster▪In a disaster everyone needs to keep calm.
PHRASES▪ a disaster waiting to happen▪Any one of these nuclear plants may be a disaster waiting to happen.
▪ in the aftermath of a disaster▪In the aftermath of the disaster people were too shocked to give a clear picture of what had happened.
▪ a recipe for disaster▪Letting her organize the party is a recipe for disaster (= sth that is likely to go badly wrong).
▪ a walking disaster, a walking disaster area (both figurative, esp. BrE)▪I am a walking disaster when it comes to paperwork.
▪ a victim of a disaster▪an organization which provides help for the victims of the disaster
2 a failureADJECTIVE▪ absolute, complete, real, total, unmitigated, utter▪The play was a complete disaster from beginning to end.
▪ business, economic, electoral, fashion, financial, political, public relations (abbreviated to PR), social▪the greatest electoral disaster of the century
▪The shirt was a definite fashion disaster.
▪Buying that house turned out to be a financial disaster.
VERB + DISASTER▪ prove, turn out to be▪High-rise buildings proved a social disaster.
▪ become, turn into▪I can already foresee the night turning into a total disaster.
PREPOSITION▪ a disaster for sb/sth▪The festival ended up being a financial disaster for the promoters.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
