1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a ruinous windstorm destroyed the crops
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruinous
For a multimillion-dollar data center, that disposal model is potentially ruinous.
—
IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2026
The controversial relationship likely proved ruinous for Gates’ relationship with his now ex wife.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Cassie took to OnlyFans, mostly for her own validation but partly to bail her now-husband Nate (Jacob Elordi) out of ruinous debt — reuniting her with her estranged best friend Maddy (Alexa Demie), now a talent manager.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
Instead, gum arabic, like so much of the country’s gargantuan wealth, now provides both the reason and resources for its staggeringly ruinous civil war.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
IEEE Spectrum, 11 June 2026
The controversial relationship likely proved ruinous for Gates’ relationship with his now ex wife.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 11 June 2026
Cassie took to OnlyFans, mostly for her own validation but partly to bail her now-husband Nate (Jacob Elordi) out of ruinous debt — reuniting her with her estranged best friend Maddy (Alexa Demie), now a talent manager.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 1 June 2026
Instead, gum arabic, like so much of the country’s gargantuan wealth, now provides both the reason and resources for its staggeringly ruinous civil war.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruinous
Adjective
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Labour has teetered on the edge of one for weeks after those disastrous local election results, and only Burnham’s inability to run before now seems to have delayed one.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
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On Monday night, David Remnick interviewed Hillary Rodham Clinton for a live taping of The New Yorker Radio Hour, where the former First Lady spoke plainly about Joe Biden and the disastrous 2024 election.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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The Battle of the Gullet proves devastating for the Blacks, even if the blockade remains intact.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
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In 1876, at the Centennial, the United States was still recovering from a devastating Civil War.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
Adjective
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The fatal attack came 16 days later.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
24 June 2026
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Detectives identified James Goodman, 39, and Devinae Mitchell, 26, both of Hercules, as suspects in the fatal shooting, police said.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
24 June 2026
Adjective
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This leaves the mid-market trapped in a dangerous wasteland, forced into destructive promotional cycles to protect foot traffic without possessing the scale to survive thin margins.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
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The Big 12 insists that college athletes betting is destructive to the integrity of sports.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The visible gap for the door mechanism running across the rear fenders is unfortunate, especially since more basic minivans showcase clean surfaces there.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
19 June 2026
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Here's Sophie Cunningham dominating another pre-game entrance before an unfortunate loss to Angel Reese last night.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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During The Great Dying, massive volcanic eruptions triggered catastrophic climate changes that altered the planet’s entire biosphere.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
18 June 2026
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Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruinous. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.
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