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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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Recent Examples of ruin
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
There is Persian mythology and mysticism in the film, and ruins in Persian poetry are very significant places.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Aspden, facing financial ruin, decided to return to Philadelphia to defend his name and his property.
—Kimberly Nath, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2026
There is Persian mythology and mysticism in the film, and ruins in Persian poetry are very significant places.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
Noun
Continue reading … POLITICAL FIRESTORM — AOC claims red states are 'neglected' as her own city faces fiscal ruin.
—FOXNews.com, 8 May 2026
Aspden, facing financial ruin, decided to return to Philadelphia to defend his name and his property.
—Kimberly Nath, The Conversation, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
Fuel consumption for such a vessel would also likely have bankrupted the Japanese Navy.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Among its many distinctions, SPLC is known for bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Covers personal property used to secure a loan as collateral if it's destroyed.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
The trouble was that the British economy was fragile—most mortgages in the UK at the time had variable rates, so raising interest rates would devastate British homeowners.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
-
Sarah Konwahahawi Herne was devastated.—
Brian Mann,
NPR,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
GameStop’s $65 billion, half-cash/half-stock bid would heavily dilute shareholders, add risky leverage, and require an unrealistically high valuation multiple, making value destruction more likely than creating an Amazon rival.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
-
The letter warns that these dynamics are not only driving environmental destruction but also weakening Indigenous governance and territorial control.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
The wreck rests at 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) deep.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
-
Costello described the moments between the wreck and the explosion.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Tiger Restaurant & Lounge has closed its downtown Sacramento K Street location, just over two months after filing for bankruptcy.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
16 May 2026
-
Sphere’s shares have been on a tear, up 42% year-to-date and 455% from its 2025 April low, when leisure stocks were dragged down by an escalating trade war, and Sphere faced potential bankruptcy for its MSG Networks division.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
But in this dark, increasingly sad final season, and in our dark, sad reality, sometimes actively delighting in an evil person’s downfall is the only way to go.—
Ben Rosenstock,
Vulture,
13 May 2026
-
Icons like the Amazon rainforest, Great Barrier Reef, and Victoria Falls tend to top the list, but sometimes a site’s notoriety can be its downfall, especially when high visitation leads to crowding and environmental degradation.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
In Bird Box, mysterious entities that drive people who look at them completely insane ravage the planet, and the only way to survive is to not look at them.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
8 May 2026
-
The majority of those moves in that 2020 season were necessitated by the team seeing nearly one-third of its roster ravaged and only having so many options to fill spots.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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