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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruining
And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.
—
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The video then shows the man asking if the situation was ruining Kaleel's Christmas.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Jan. 2026
Chavez was cracking down on dissent, and his economic policies were ruining her family’s chicken processing business, Presti said.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Jan. 2026
Read on for more details on how to wash dress shirts at home without ruining them.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
Nobody was accused of ruining people’s childhoods.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Is making great art—which, in these films, has a capacious, allegorical quality—worth ruining your relationship with your kids?
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
Police departments across the country are arresting the Grinch to stop him from ruining Christmas.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
But as any reader knows, the life ruining is the point, and Red Rising is a book that Abughazaleh presses into a lot of people’s hands.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Dana Goodyear, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
The video then shows the man asking if the situation was ruining Kaleel's Christmas.
—Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 6 Jan. 2026
Chavez was cracking down on dissent, and his economic policies were ruining her family’s chicken processing business, Presti said.
—Dan Horn, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Jan. 2026
Read on for more details on how to wash dress shirts at home without ruining them.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 31 Dec. 2025
Nobody was accused of ruining people’s childhoods.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Dec. 2025
Is making great art—which, in these films, has a capacious, allegorical quality—worth ruining your relationship with your kids?
—Susie Goldsbrough, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
Police departments across the country are arresting the Grinch to stop him from ruining Christmas.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
But as any reader knows, the life ruining is the point, and Red Rising is a book that Abughazaleh presses into a lot of people’s hands.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 19 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruining
Verb
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County leaders are concerned about bankrupting the fund, which would in turn jeopardize county services.—
Erin Glynn,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Dec. 2025
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See video … WATCH TOM HOMAN – With a secure border, the US is bankrupting cartels.—
,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 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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The one that is responsible, once and for all, for fixing a defense that’s been complicit in wrecking three straight seasons of Burrow, Chase and Higgins.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
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And can interest be reduced without wrecking your financial future?—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
5 Jan. 2026
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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Scenario two is that Harbaugh is leveraging the Giants’ rabid interest but ultimately could take a different job, devastating this desperate fan base.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Rubella, also called German measles, is mild in children but devastating to fetuses, causing deafness, heart defects and intellectual disabilities when pregnant women are infected.—
Jake Scott,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Yet for all of Malinin’s athleticism and his Beamonesque ability to take flight what has been most telling in what has already been a world record-shattering Olympic season has been the maturity of his skating, the willingness to take emotional risks in his programs.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
6 Jan. 2026
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Bana and Rocha were among the 615 participants in the 27th annual Waukegan Polar Bear Plunge on Thursday at the Waukegan Municipal Beach, shattering the record of 540 set in 2024, and collectively raising more than $20,000 for Special Recreation Services of Northern Lake County.—
Steve Sadin,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Hodges stood there, scared and vulnerable, the man grabbed his baton and bashed him on the head with it, rupturing his lip and smashing his skull.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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The man accused of smashing windows on Vice President JD Vance's home with a hammer is facing separate prosecutions in state and federal court.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruining. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.
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