ruination

noun

ru·​in·​a·​tion ˌrü-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce ruination (audio)

Examples of ruination in a Sentence

Water pollution is causing the ruination of the fishing industry. neglect and indifference have proved to be the ruination of more than one marriage
Recent Examples on the Web Reid, who died in late 2021, lived to see the utter ruination of his plans by his own actions. The Editors, National Review, 21 Nov. 2023 Weir helped birth the new world, watched its ruination, and spent the autumn of his life rebuilding it. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 Pugh makes her character’s arc from a woman with everything to live for to suicidal depression believable in every respect, while Freeman cannily underplays his character’s torment as well as the decency that enables him to befriend the person who caused such ruination in his life. Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Mar. 2023 Coal mining was for years a bulwark against utter economic ruination, but regulation, a lengthy permitting process, and other factors both economic and geological pushed what remains of the region’s coal business away toward other communities. Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, 17 Nov. 2020 Over the course of the book, the mystery of Leslie’s birth pales in the face of a still greater riddle, which intensifies with every depression, recession, panic, crash, bankruptcy, lawsuit and family ruination: how anybody got the idea that capitalism works, and that men should be in charge of it. New York Times, 29 Mar. 2022 The ruination of a good retirement? Alfred L. Malabre Jr., WSJ, 10 Apr. 2021 And in this crisis moment, when a pandemic threatens ruination for museums, theaters, concert halls, opera houses, dance studios, cineplexes and amusement parks — and the 5.1 million arts workers who staff them — the time has come to rectify this glaring oversight. Washington Post, 2 Dec. 2020 What happens when a con artist crosses paths with a CIA agent one night in a bar when both parties are reeling from recent romantic ruination? Dan Snierson, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ruination.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ruination was in 1599

Dictionary Entries Near ruination

Cite this Entry

“Ruination.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruination. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ruination

noun
ru·​in·​a·​tion ˌrü-ə-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce ruination (audio)
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