Question

Find the synonym of the underlined word.
The Red Crescent arrived at the disaster area within five hours.
a. Calamity
b. Destruction
c. Departure
d. Hurricane
e. Isolated

Answer 1

Hint: A disaster is something that causes massive destruction over a particular area. We are asked to find the word that shares a similar meaning to ‘disaster.’

Complete answer:
A disaster is defined as the sudden, unexpected catastrophe or accident, which may be human-made or natural, causing grave destruction and loss of life. A disaster results in vast destruction of life and property irrevocably. Natural disasters include calamities like floods, hurricanes, drought, thunderstorms, and so. Human disasters typically mean the bombing of buildings, loss of life due to massive wars, and likewise.
> In the given options, option a gives us the right answer. Natural disasters are often called calamities.
- Option b is wrong because ‘destruction’ is the act of destroying something, causing huge damages. Although similar in context, ‘destruction’ cannot be the right synonym.
- Departure in option c is wrong as it indicates the act of leaving from a place.
- Hurricane, as explained, is an example of a natural disaster and not a synonym. Hence, option d is incorrect.
- Similarly, option e is also wrong. We use ‘isolated’ to refer to remote or far away objects or places with minimal contact with others.

Note: Do not confuse disaster, destruction, and distress. While ‘distress’ shows extreme anxiety, the former words indicate destroying something.