disaster area
1. A location where a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, flood, or storm, occurred. An area designated as such is often the recipient of government aid. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the president declared New Orleans a disaster area and allotted federal funding for the rescue and cleanup efforts. Visiting an utterly devastated disaster area like that really puts our petty gripes and problems in perspective, doesn't it? The Red Cross has been administering aid at the disaster area ever since the tornado.
2. By extension, an excessively messy or unclean space. After only a few weeks of living on his own, Adam's apartment looked like a disaster area because he never bothered to clean up after himself. You two need to clean up the playroom before dinner—it's a total disaster area in here, dress-up clothes and dolls everywhere. Melanie's bedroom is a disaster area because she tried on no fewer than 20 outfits before her date.
3. A situation, idea, or plan that is poorly planned or organized. The new economic plan that the senator proposed sounded like a complete disaster area. A: "Apparently, his brilliant idea is to date both girls at once." B: "Good grief. We all know that's a disaster area, right? Just a little bit of planning and forethought could have kept the event from devolving into a disaster area.
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