1
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
neglect and indifference have proved to be the ruination of more than one marriage
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
although this is a setback, it isn't complete ruination for the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ruination
Charged with gun possession and bribing a witness, Mr. Combs stood trial for seven weeks in early 2001, facing the possibility of 15 years in prison — and, possibly, the ruination of his career.
—
Ben Sisario, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The sense of ruination experienced by the organizers of those art spaces was something familiar to Quraiqi, who wrote on his Instagram this year that Israeli forces had destroyed his studio.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Read: The mysterious, meteoric rise of Shein In the past several years, cultural awareness has grown about the reality of the fast-fashion business model, which relies on paying factory workers shockingly low wages and takes a multifaceted approach to furthering the ruination of the planet.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
The one-time ingenue made gallows humor out of her ruination, glorying in the cracks and croaks of her voice.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruination
Ben Sisario, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
The sense of ruination experienced by the organizers of those art spaces was something familiar to Quraiqi, who wrote on his Instagram this year that Israeli forces had destroyed his studio.
—Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Read: The mysterious, meteoric rise of Shein In the past several years, cultural awareness has grown about the reality of the fast-fashion business model, which relies on paying factory workers shockingly low wages and takes a multifaceted approach to furthering the ruination of the planet.
—Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 18 Mar. 2025
The one-time ingenue made gallows humor out of her ruination, glorying in the cracks and croaks of her voice.
—Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruination
Noun
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Thompson; Hoss adds a blaze-of-glory brio to Eileen’s downfall; Thompson; a visual palette that prizes both old-school glamour and pomo maximalism; and Thompson.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
29 Oct. 2025
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At the same time, Congress didn’t establish any federal standard for sports betting—an omission that would later contribute to PASPA’s downfall.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The viral photos and videos of the destruction have elicited strong emotions for many Americans.—
Meredith Kile,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
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As time passes, pressure increases, communication falters, and every decision carries the weight of potential destruction.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The devastation that Melissa left behind has left 25,000 people still in shelters in Jamaica on Wednesday, according to Sky News.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Jamaica is waking up to devastation, with severe damage to infrastructure including the electric grid, hospitals and schools.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
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To better understand how these storms can wreak so much havoc, our research team created simulations to show how storms interact with Earth’s natural magnetic shield and trigger the dangerous geomagnetic activity that can shut down electric grids.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
24 Oct. 2025
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The purpose of this drug production is the sale of massive amounts of product into the United States, causing death, destruction, and havoc.—
Anna Commander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This is why leading AI scientists warn that developing superintelligence could result in humanity’s extinction.—
Andrea Miotti,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
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Alongside their impressive achievements, the founding generation failed to reach a just accommodation with the Native American population, and failed to end slavery or, more realistically, put it on the road to extinction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Toronto Blue Jays bounced back from a tough Game 3 loss to even the World Series at two games apiece following a 6-2 Game 4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.—
Wayne Sterling,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
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The situation could result in potential discipline for the Ravens, ranging from fines or loss of draft picks to possible suspensions if the NFL determines a serious violation occurred.—
Cole Sullivan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The images that emerged last week of the sudden demolition of the White House’s entire East Wing have inspired an array of feelings.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
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Trump’s recent demolition of the East Wing to construct a new multimillion-dollar ballroom has sparked a wave of criticism, including from historians and preservation groups.—
Dominick Mastrangelo,
The Hill,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruination. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.
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