1
2
: causing or tending to cause ruin
ruinously
adverb
ruinousness
noun
Examples of ruinous in a Sentence
The house has fallen into a ruinous state.
a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt
Recent Examples on the Web
Way thinks that a more plausible suspect in Venus’ demise is a form of ruinous volcanism.
—
Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
After the end of World War II, the Reichstag found itself in a ruinous state in West Berlin.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 9 Sep. 2025
That could be ruinous to a sector which has been in decline for decades.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The blockade led Napoleon to launch his ruinous invasion of Russia, which continued trading with the British.
—S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
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Quanta Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
After the end of World War II, the Reichstag found itself in a ruinous state in West Berlin.
—The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 9 Sep. 2025
That could be ruinous to a sector which has been in decline for decades.
—David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The blockade led Napoleon to launch his ruinous invasion of Russia, which continued trading with the British.
—S. C. M. Paine, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Cite this Entry
“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruinous. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ruinous
adjective
ru·in·ous
ˈrü-ə-nəs 
: causing or tending to cause ruin : destructive
ruinously
adverb
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