Synonyms

ruination

American

[roo-uh-nay-shuhn] / ˌru əˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

the act or state of ruining or the state of being ruined.
something that ruins.

ruination British

/ ˌruːɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

the act of ruining or the state of being ruined
something that causes ruin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ruination

First recorded in 1655–65; ruinate + -ion

Vocabulary lists containing ruination

Novel Study: Walk Two Moons, Chapters 1–16

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

ruination

Mr. Clark asks us to regard the tale of the two pastors’ ruination as comparable to modern-day instances of reputational destruction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

Colin Neill, from representative body Hospitality Ulster, said the measure would be the "ruination of the hospitality industry".

From BBC ● Jan. 29, 2026

As with so many acts, their financial naivete proved to be their ruination.

From Salon ● Dec. 17, 2024

Fire is to piers what water was to the Wicked Witch of the West — a ruination.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2024

I looked at the confusion around me, the ruination.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023