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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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
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of ruin
Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 July 2025
Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once-great Tonight Show.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Together with remnant wetlands, protected nature reserves and archaeological ruins being reclaimed by nature, these sites create corridors of largely uninterrupted green space that snake from the surrounding countryside through the suburbs and into the city center.
—Krista Langlois, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
Uno, the game notorious for ruining friendships and causing family squabbles, is shuffling its way into Austin.
—Ana Gutierrez, Austin American Statesman, 18 July 2025
Greg Gutfeld is better than all of them combined, including the Moron on NBC who ruined the once-great Tonight Show.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 July 2025
Noun
Madsen plays Brian Fenton, a college professor desperately trying to prop up a failing career and steer a wayward son away from drugs and personal ruin, while coming to grips with his own mysterious father’s descent into dementia.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 10 July 2025
Together with remnant wetlands, protected nature reserves and archaeological ruins being reclaimed by nature, these sites create corridors of largely uninterrupted green space that snake from the surrounding countryside through the suburbs and into the city center.
—Krista Langlois, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
Similar civil lawsuits against white supremacist and far-right groups have been successful in the past, in some cases bankrupting them with steep financial penalties.—
Dan Horn,
The Enquirer,
2 July 2025
-
That has been exacerbated by the attacks from the right on the signature piece of Trump’s legislation, a tax and spending package that figures like Elon Musk have argued would bankrupt the federal government.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
Verb
-
The fire that destroyed the Grand Canyon Lodge was burning on the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.—
AZCentral.com,
AZCentral.com,
14 July 2025
-
The lawsuit alleges that Merit Street’s business partner, Trinity Broadcasting of Fort Worth, destroyed its television network and forced the bankruptcy declaration.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
She’s devastated by how badly water and air pollution have affected businesses, tourism and overall quality of life.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 July 2025
-
John Tufts The Grand Canyon North Rim, including the historic Grand Canyon Lodge, has been devastated by the Dragon Bravo wildfire.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Hopefully the residents of Hawkins will have peace in the end — but not before more destruction.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
16 July 2025
-
Video footage of the waterspout and photos of the destruction at Paw Paw Point were reviewed and verified by the NWS.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
15 July 2025
Noun
-
The man driving the Honda ran from the wreck, police said, and there is no indication he was located.—
Robert Salonga,
Mercury News,
18 July 2025
-
Researchers have recovered more than 3,300 artifacts from the wreck, including gold coins inscribed with Arabic, pieces of porcelain and religious figurines.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
17 July 2025
Noun
-
In the event of bankruptcy, stablecoin holders are prioritized for repayment.—
Becca Bratcher,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Dayton, a small community near Chattanooga, had lost a factory to bankruptcy and needed the boost.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
Hannah obviously isn't the only one at fault in their downfall as a couple, but her decision making certainly leaves something to be desired.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
18 July 2025
-
Barry’s downfall sent shockwaves through a city that once put her approval rating over 70 percent.—
Kelly Puente,
The Tennessean,
18 July 2025
Verb
-
Those include a string of deadly tornadoes that swept through Kentucky in May, and some of the wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles in January.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
10 July 2025
-
Lowering the cost of eggs, which spiked in recent years as an avian flu outbreak ravaged American flocks, was one of President Donald Trump's key campaign promises in the lead-up to the 2024 election.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 27 Jul. 2025.
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