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
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Recent Examples of ruin
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
No information Satellite images from Vantor show a large section of the hotel reduced to a pile of concrete and rebar, with terracotta roof tiles scattered around the ruins.
—
Deisy Buitrago,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Verb
As such, the stadium and ensuing further reimagination of the area upon which Kansas City was founded and later left to ruin for decades stands for more yet than being purpose-built for a women’s team.
—
Kansas City Star,
30 June 2026
Porsha deflects, saying Drew ruined the mood.
—
Ile-Ife Okantah,
Vulture,
29 June 2026
Noun
Highlights include Montserrat, the Roman ruins of Tarragona, the beaches of the Costa Brava and Costa Daurada, the Pyrenees, medieval towns such as Cardona and Peralada, and wine regions including Penedès and Priorat.
—
Emese MacZko,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
No information Satellite images from Vantor show a large section of the hotel reduced to a pile of concrete and rebar, with terracotta roof tiles scattered around the ruins.
—
Deisy Buitrago,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruin
Verb
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The ruling was a victory for states, which said such claims could bankrupt them.
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Most manufacturers were bankrupted by equipment failures and financial challenges, making the 1990s a tough time for wind power’s pioneers.
Verb
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The most common type of dementia, which destroys memory and cognitive function, was responsible for 116,022 deaths in 2024, NCHS data shows.
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That book is a revenge fantasy about the former art school professor who seduced her, discarded her and destroyed her confidence as a painter.
Verb
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The project has sparked outrage because of the location’s pristine nature and unique habitat that would be irreversibly devastated, according to environmentalists.
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BangkokReuters — The family of a 17-year-old Thai girl whose body was found in a suitcase in Pattaya said they were devastated by her death, for which an Australian man has been arrested and charged with murder.
Noun
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Rodríguez said authorities have recorded 862 aftershocks since the main quakes and confirmed that 189 buildings collapsed completely nationwide, the vast majority in La Guaira, the coastal state that suffered the worst destruction.
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Our previous card featured the fiery destruction of the Missouri Pacific depot in 1909.
Noun
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Neither alcohol nor drugs appeared to factor in the fatal wreck.
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Mental health support usually means stop ignoring the conditions that wreck performance.
Noun
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Five years ago, the restaurant was saved from the brink of bankruptcy and closure by Stone and Parker, the team who created South Park and the Broadway show Book of Mormon.
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Days later, the camp owners filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with documents showing their total debts exceeded $10 million.
Noun
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That would be his downfall on Monday, too, hitting his putt a little too hard.
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The Sound and The Fury Told by four narrators in a stream of consciousness writing style, this 1929 story describes the downfall of a wealthy Southern aristocratic family, the Compsons.
Verb
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Shana McDiarmid and her now-boyfriend, Cameron, are another couple who benefitted from the foundation after their rental property was ravaged thanks to its proximity to the river.
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Were civic centers nothing more than Trojan horses designed to ravage humanities departments across the nation?
Cite this Entry
“Ruin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruin. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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