1
as in to bankrupt
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
after he was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the industrialist was forced to sell his mansion and start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to destroy
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to devastate
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a huge fire that ruined an entire city block
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in destruction
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
a vicious bombardment that left the building in ruins
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wreck
ruins plural
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the ruins of an abandoned abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in bankruptcy
the inability to pay one's debts
the family faces ruin if the chief breadwinner doesn't find another job very soon
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life
the politician's eventual ruin would be a sexual indiscretion
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ruin
Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
What happens is the bad apples of the bunch tend to ruin it for everybody.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 10 June 2025
Claire Franken, TVLine, 27 May 2025
Situated on a hillside along a pine forest, the property overlooks ancient Sparta and the ruins of Byzantine Mystras.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
Avoid the spam complaints One spam complaint can ruin everything.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
What happens is the bad apples of the bunch tend to ruin it for everybody.
—Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 10 June 2025
Noun
The players stand in front of the ruins, which viewers learn are the ruins of Volterra in Italy.
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 27 May 2025
Situated on a hillside along a pine forest, the property overlooks ancient Sparta and the ruins of Byzantine Mystras.
—Emily Burns, Footwear News, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
The settlement, which was capped at $2 million to not bankrupt the city, will be paid through the city’s insurance coverage, according to KSAT.—
David Matthews,
New York Daily News,
23 Apr. 2025
-
One clear demonstration: In a highly visible test, the Kansas experiment of the previous decade nearly bankrupted the state and drove the governor out of office.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Aid distributed inside Israeli military zones Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians are almost completely reliant on international aid because nearly all food production capabilities have been destroyed.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
-
The first move for a mistrial from Combs’ legal team occurred at the end of May, after prosecutors asked Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator Lance Jimenez if fingerprint evidence related to the bombing of Kid Cudi's car had been destroyed.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
8 June 2025
Verb
-
The group warns that the ban on hemp products with THC would devastate legal businesses and drive demand toward the unregulated black market.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
-
While Michael has not addressed these allegations, we are devastated by even the implications.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
The destruction of several strategic bombers is another reminder that Kyiv remains determined in its struggle against Moscow’s invasion.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
13 June 2025
-
Confrontational rhetoric Salami was known for his aggressive rhetoric against both Israel and the United States, calling for the destruction of Israel as early as 2016.—
Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
Noun
-
Six people died in the wreck, including the ship's captain and two of his sons.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
-
When Pete suffered cranial injuries in a wreck in July.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
11 June 2025
Noun
-
The bankruptcy filing has led to delays in the civil cases.—
Julia Marnin,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
-
Lopez insisted that had to be done through the federal bankruptcy court and a trustee.—
Tovia Smith,
NPR,
6 June 2025
Noun
-
The birth of house music in the 1980s was also, in part, a response to the heyday, and unceremonious downfall, of disco, another genre that had distinctly Black origins before garnering more mainstream attention via white artists and culture.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
13 June 2025
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Now, Paris is speaking out about how the movie contributed to their downfall.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
13 June 2025
Verb
-
Fraser delivers a brimstone sermon worthy of a Baptist preacher at a tent revival, raging at plutocrats who ravage those with less (or nothing at all).—
Hamilton Cain,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
-
Injuries have ravaged Houston’s starting rotation to an almost unrecognizable state.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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