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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ruin
Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
—Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Did 'Twilight' ruin the vampire genre?
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
His farmhouse was set ablaze and ruined, but his 1949 Ford was purchased for $760 dollars and taken around the area as an exhbition item, including a charge for admission.
—Jr Radcliffe, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
—Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025
Noun
In the southern border city of Sderot, which was attacked on October 7, and is frequently the target of rocket fire, a group of Israelis gathered at an observation deck overlooking Gaza to revel in its ruin.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025
Did 'Twilight' ruin the vampire genre?
—Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
-
In the late 1830s, as a devastating financial crisis bankrupted antislavery societies across the North, the movement seemed splintered and powerless to keep up its petition pressure campaign.—
Time,
Time,
24 Sep. 2025
-
See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Two months after historic floods swept through the Milwaukee area, new data shows that nearly 2,200 homes throughout Milwaukee County sustained major damage or were destroyed.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
-
Police in Florida are searching for two men caught on camera destroying a mall store while stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise.—
Pilar Arias,
FOXNews.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Public school advocates like William Phillis, a former official at the Ohio Department of Education, fear the change would devastate public schools.—
Megan O’Matz,
ProPublica,
8 Oct. 2025
-
However, in places like Crow Creek Tribal School in South Dakota, Superintendent Rob Coverdale says the fee could devastate hiring efforts.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shackleton blamed the sinking of the Endurance on the destruction of its rudder; for more than a century, historians accepted this explanation.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
-
They’re often greeted with the sight of their mischievous pup climbing onto furniture or causing destruction while unattended.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In bodycam footage provided by Ory, the gold truck's driver said the woman driving the car behind him caused the wreck after pulling into the other lane to avoid colliding with the back of the truck.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Police said neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be factors in the wreck.—
Fox19 staff,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Home décor chain At Home is emerging from bankruptcy after a court approved its restructuring plan.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Conspiracy broadcaster Alex Jones may regain control of Infowars if a bankruptcy court fails to find a buyer.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But new research is rewriting what’s known about the root problem that led to the vessel’s downfall.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
6 Oct. 2025
-
My downfall was rooted in my selfishness.—
Tracy Wright , Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The Israeli government approved the first part of the peace plan to end the conflict in Gaza, after a brutal two-year war that has ravaged the Palestinian enclave and sparked a global outcry, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early on Friday local time.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
9 Oct. 2025
-
The death toll in Gaza has surpassed sixty-seven thousand, with the enclave so ravaged that Israel has become something of an international pariah.—
Ruth Margalit,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 11 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share