1
as in bankrupted
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroyed
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 wrecked
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruined
Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Back in the days before the shootout came long and ruined everything diminished the play’s novelty somewhat, a penalty shot would be big news.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 1 May 2026
General Manager David Stearns has ruined the team with his stubborn decisions, trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, and not negotiating with purpose to keep Pete Alonzo, one of the best power hitters of this generation, along with being pretty durable.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
Rain had soaked nearly everything that the bears had not ruined.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
In other words, atrocious starts have ruined the Sox’s season before anyone had a chance to get excited.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!
—Christopher Kostow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Apr. 2026
Detroit Dog Rescue The team says the trail, originally made possible by donations, is now ruined.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
—Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Verb
Also be aware that, according to FEMA, the physical original documents are often ruined by flooding, even in homes that survive damage from wind.
—Doyle Rice, USA Today, 1 May 2026
Back in the days before the shootout came long and ruined everything diminished the play’s novelty somewhat, a penalty shot would be big news.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 1 May 2026
General Manager David Stearns has ruined the team with his stubborn decisions, trading Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil, and not negotiating with purpose to keep Pete Alonzo, one of the best power hitters of this generation, along with being pretty durable.
—Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 30 Apr. 2026
Rain had soaked nearly everything that the bears had not ruined.
—Jim Hoagland, Outdoor Life, 30 Apr. 2026
In other words, atrocious starts have ruined the Sox’s season before anyone had a chance to get excited.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
Was so excited to make these and they were ruined by your poor recipe like many others!
—Christopher Kostow, Bon Appetit Magazine, 27 Apr. 2026
Detroit Dog Rescue The team says the trail, originally made possible by donations, is now ruined.
—Alysia Burgio, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Survivor all-star Christian Hubicki was kind to Jimmy Fallon, not even screaming at, threatening, or lunging toward the host who ruined his game on Survivor 50.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruined
Verb
-
Yet much of the region’s decline was caused by Russian or pro-Russian oligarchs who had bought up factories, bankrupted them to eliminate competition, and imposed brutal conditions on workers.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Enveloped in their own scandals of excess, Pantages, Mills and Shreve were bankrupted.—
Eric DuVall,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The assault killed at least seventeen people, including a twelve-year-old boy, wounded dozens, and destroyed buildings.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The 24 staff members in Ruiz Verduzco’s office are tasked with assisting victims and their families, establishing programs in communities destroyed by violence and drumming up financial support.—
Molly Quell,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Elliott, who started 14th, had already taken the white flag when John Hunter Nemechek wrecked in the back of the field after contact with Kyle Busch.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
-
Two cars were wrecked and two people suffered injuries in a crash on busy Irving Park Road in the neighborhood of the same name early Monday morning.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
More recently, Nvidia's doomed effort to acquire the British chip designer Arm Holdings encountered regulatory scrutiny across multiple jurisdictions, including China, before collapsing under the weight of geopolitical and competition concerns.—
Dewardric L. McNeal,
CNBC,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Continue reading … THAT SETTLES IT — Archaeologists crack 'Spanish Roanoke' mystery with haunting find from doomed colony.—
,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
The Mosquito Fire of 2022 had ravaged more than seventy-six thousand acres in Placer and El Dorado Counties.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
It has been recommended that the Denver Pavilions be demolished.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
2 May 2026
-
It was finally demolished in 2024.—
Rafael Olmeda,
Sun Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Once a team trades draft capital to acquire or retain a star, those picks become sunk costs.—
Spencer Harrison,
New York Times,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Stress and resentment often builds within relationships driven by sunk cost thinking, which increases within the relationship.—
Gabrielle Kassel,
SELF,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kim, 42, said she's devastated for her daughter and upset that her seizures were initially brushed off before the cardiac arrest occurred.—
Vanessa Etienne,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
The deadly fires that devastated homes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena also laid waste to a lush canopy of leaves and pine needles that had cooled and shaded residents here for generations.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruined. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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