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
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2026
In practice, organic liquids like crude oil ruined everything.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will be ruined.
—
ABC News,
18 June 2026
But by the time the money had been raised, the film had oxidised and was ruined.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
18 June 2026
Putting Valuables On The Floor Paper, electronics, mattresses, and most furniture will be ruined if your basement or storage unit floods during a summer storm.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
For all the talk of revamping Venezuela’s oil infrastructure or improving the fiscal regime, there seemed to be no concern for the fact that the country has been ruined.
—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
Showing up to shoot in person would only have ruined the city with its realness.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
In short, what felt like never ending conflict, stress, anxiety, and overall deeply negative energy surrounding the process and lead up to this album's release absolutely ruined this music for me.
—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Adjective
His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
—
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Verb
Its front-facing design deters pickpockets, while the water-resistant fabric protects your phone from surprise downpours or sweaty adventure days—because no one wants their phone ruined halfway through a trip.
—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
24 June 2026
In practice, organic liquids like crude oil ruined everything.
—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 June 2026
Without a job, Chester worries her summer will be ruined.
—
ABC News,
18 June 2026
But by the time the money had been raised, the film had oxidised and was ruined.
—
The Week Uk,
TheWeek,
18 June 2026
Putting Valuables On The Floor Paper, electronics, mattresses, and most furniture will be ruined if your basement or storage unit floods during a summer storm.
—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
For all the talk of revamping Venezuela’s oil infrastructure or improving the fiscal regime, there seemed to be no concern for the fact that the country has been ruined.
—
Stephania Taladrid,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
Showing up to shoot in person would only have ruined the city with its realness.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
17 June 2026
In short, what felt like never ending conflict, stress, anxiety, and overall deeply negative energy surrounding the process and lead up to this album's release absolutely ruined this music for me.
—
Jack Irvin,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruined
Adjective
-
The investigation, according to the archives, cited several factors as contributing to the tragedy, including Holland’s disregard of procedures, the failure of superiors to take previous action and the inadequate preparation of crew members aboard the doomed plane.
-
In his hands, Tom can be buffoonish, tragic, doomed and heroic at once.
Verb
-
Most manufacturers were bankrupted by equipment failures and financial challenges, making the 1990s a tough time for wind power’s pioneers.
-
He is relieved is working at a plant in Elkhart, Indiana which was once a 100-year-old family business, and was bought by a new investor who has nearly bankrupted it in two years.
Verb
-
The second inferno killed 12 people, destroyed 6,500 structures across the Palisades and Malibu and cost billions in damage and insurance claims.
-
In Paradise, California, a community destroyed by wildfire adopted the ‘Wildfire Prepared Home Standard’ as its mandatory rebuilding benchmark.
Verb
-
In the history of mankind, socialist success stories are as rare as triple plays in baseball, but plenty of countries have been wrecked by it — Venezuela and Cuba, to name just two.
-
My polishing pads are always getting wrecked, used, or stolen by my dog (or all of those things).
Adjective
-
Your instincts versus the sunk cost of your trip.
-
This mindset, however, can also foster a sunk cost fallacy.
Verb
-
His hometown of Petite Riviere in Haiti’s main agricultural region, the Artibonite, has been ravaged by armed attacks.
-
The tree’s limbs were lopped off in the wake of January 2025’s Eaton fire, which ravaged Altadena and part of Pasadena, but all these months after the fire, there’s new growth on the tree.
Verb
-
The Bills’ former stadium, called Highmark Stadium, is in the process of being demolished.
-
But a landmark designation could take about nine months and ultimately buildings can still be demolished, under state law.
Adjective
-
But the reforms needed to keep this rally alive are nowhere near finished.
-
Norway had an identical record and finished runner-up in Group I, after a heavy 4-1 loss to France in its final group game.
Cite this Entry
“Ruined.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruined. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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