damnation

noun

dam·​na·​tion dam-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce damnation (audio)
: the act of damning : the state of being damned

Examples of damnation in a Sentence

The minister spoke about death and damnation.
Recent Examples on the Web Based on historical records, the film is inspired by the true stories of women who attempted to end their lives by committing murders in order to escape the damnation promised to men and women who committed suicide. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024 Based on historical records, the movie is inspired by the true stories of women who attempted to end their lives by committing murders in order to escape the damnation promised to men and women who committed suicide. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 22 Jan. 2024 Bliss has always creeped me out, and damnation doesn’t sound very compelling, either. Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 What appealed to you about an afterlife that didn’t involve bliss or damnation? Willing Davidson, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 The divergent outcomes of both teams provided the biggest damnation of the Padres, organizationally. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2023 Only on his deathbed did the local parish priest finally yield to familial pleas, administering the last rites to avert eternal damnation. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2023 This adventure story rides the line between sci-fi and fantasy, following a violin prodigy who has made a deal with the devil to evade damnation. USA TODAY, 11 Aug. 2023 Berry’s peers had a sense of sin and damnation in common, to the degree that their music might be taken for a form of speaking in tongues. Matthew Gavin Frank, Harper's Magazine, 4 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'damnation.' 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

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of damnation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near damnation

Cite this Entry

“Damnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damnation. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

damnation

noun
dam·​na·​tion dam-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce damnation (audio)
1
: the act of damning
2
: the state of being damned
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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