1
as in bankrupting
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in destroying
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 wrecking
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a huge fire that ruined an entire city block
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruining
The Chiefs have seen some of league’s premier running backs — such as Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry and Jahmyr Gibbs — and have met each challenge, preventing those elite players from ruining the defensive game plan.
—
Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Roberts took his share of grief on social media, but if this is all about spending money, the Dodgers have had plenty of help ruining baseball.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Be sure to allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light if needed in order to avoid ruining your night vision.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Last offseason, the narrative that the Los Angeles Dodgers were ruining baseball was born.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
What follows is a series of comical misadventures—navigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theft—all in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.
—PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Emily Curiel, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2025
Clark reiterated his belief that the Dodgers are not ruining baseball.
—Evan Drellich, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
Roberts took his share of grief on social media, but if this is all about spending money, the Dodgers have had plenty of help ruining baseball.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Be sure to allow 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the dark, and use a red light if needed in order to avoid ruining your night vision.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
Last offseason, the narrative that the Los Angeles Dodgers were ruining baseball was born.
—MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
What follows is a series of comical misadventures—navigating checkpoints, ruining a wedding, and even car theft—all in a desperate race to get the dove to a beauty pageant in Jerusalem.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
Packages of flying tortillas thrown at the wrong time, or pocket knives, would only hurt a reputation that Texas Tech has worked doggedly to change and show that the Red Raiders are at home on a national stage, and not the crazy drunk uncle ruining a holiday.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2025
Since 2021, Spotify has offered an alternative app for kids to listen to music without ruining their parents recommendations.
—PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruining
Verb
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See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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Yet either change could risk bankrupting the program.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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And candidates who stoked fear in voters — with the threat of towering multi-family complexes destroying their communities or costly local infrastructure projects driving up taxes — lost by clear margins.—
Taylor O'Connor,
Kansas City Star,
7 Nov. 2025
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Derek Lopez, 27, was fired from his role at the university after he was caught on camera destroying a Turning Point display.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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After those rules are broken, the gremlin spawns more of its kind and end up wrecking havoc on Billy’s hometown during Christmas.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
6 Nov. 2025
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Storm preparations Cuba has been struck almost yearly by a major hurricane in recent years, sometimes twice, wrecking the country’s already decrepit infrastructure, damaging crops and destroying thousands of homes in precarious condition.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Hurricane Melissa, currently ravaging the Caribbean, is a perfect example of why climate adaptation finance is so badly needed.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
30 Oct. 2025
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Sean Paul is doing his part to help minimize and repair the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, which is currently ravaging his homeland of Jamaica.—
Brittany Spanos,
Rolling Stone,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The military showed us a map of Hamas tunnel routes Israeli forces are still discovering and demolishing in the area.—
Daniel Estrin,
NPR,
7 Nov. 2025
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Most recently, crews began demolishing the East Wing of the White House.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Last year’s devastating drought in the Amazon Basin was made 30 times more likely by climate change, according to a report from World Weather Attribution, a network of scientists that analyze extreme weather events.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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Earlier this year, California’s devastating Eaton Fire destroyed much of Altadena, a diverse, creative community just north of Pasadena.—
Tori Latham,
Robb Report,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When a world-shattering event turns most of the global population into a friendly hive mind, Carol sets out to protect her individuality.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
10 Nov. 2025
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But this average-looking citizen could become almost anything, throwing himself into roles with shattering power.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Within a few years of leaving Texas, Rauschenberg had upended everything the place had meant to him, smashing through the parochialism of small-town Southern life, where necks were broken in Jesus’ name, and families indentured or murdered.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
10 Nov. 2025
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The role would typically involve smashing a bottle of champagne against the bow before sending the vessel out on its maiden voyage.—
Mackenzie Schmidt,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruining. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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