calamity

/kəˈlæmɪti/noun

A disaster that causes serious damage or loss.

Example sentence

“The flood was a calamity that destroyed hundreds of homes.”

Slightly literary or old-fashioned; "disaster" is the neutral modern word. That dated flavor makes it useful for comic exaggeration.

Related words

calculatedTo work out a value or answer using mathematics.cajoleTo coax an unwilling person into doing something, often with flattery or promises.calculatorA machine, usually electronic, built to carry out mathematical calculations.cafeteriaAn eating place where people pick out food at a counter and carry it to a table themselves.callousCold and uncaring about other people's pain or feelings.cactusA plant belonging to a family of spiny, water-storing succulents native to the Americas and adapted to hot, dry regions.