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
Relevance
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
The president, who admits this all could be challenged in court, urged the panel to back the SCORE Act, which would preempt state regulation of NIL payments, which the Commander in Chief says are especially ruining women’s sports.
—
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Google Nest WiFi Deal Bad Wi-Fi has a way of ruining everything.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Trump has long mocked Bush for ruining his presidency by invading Iraq, and his administration over the past week has sought to downplay any parallels between Bush’s misadventures and its own attack on Iran.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
The White House believed that that Iran was intentionally ruining the Mideast peace process, and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich had called Iran the most dangerous nation on Earth.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Trying to gather gossip under her own byline didn't work as well, and the new mom was also started to have ethical qualms about her work of ruining the reputations of women and men in the 'ton.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Trying to gather gossip under her own byline didn't work as well, and the new mom was also started to have ethical qualms about her work of ruining the reputations of women and men in the 'ton.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Here are the 10 bad laundry habits that could be ruining your clothes—and what to do instead.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
Is screen time ruining childhood?
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2026
Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2026
Google Nest WiFi Deal Bad Wi-Fi has a way of ruining everything.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 9 Mar. 2026
Trump has long mocked Bush for ruining his presidency by invading Iraq, and his administration over the past week has sought to downplay any parallels between Bush’s misadventures and its own attack on Iran.
—Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 6 Mar. 2026
The White House believed that that Iran was intentionally ruining the Mideast peace process, and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich had called Iran the most dangerous nation on Earth.
—Brit McCandless Farmer, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Trying to gather gossip under her own byline didn't work as well, and the new mom was also started to have ethical qualms about her work of ruining the reputations of women and men in the 'ton.
—Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Trying to gather gossip under her own byline didn't work as well, and the new mom was also started to have ethical qualms about her work of ruining the reputations of women and men in the 'ton.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 Feb. 2026
Here are the 10 bad laundry habits that could be ruining your clothes—and what to do instead.
—Heather Bien, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026
Is screen time ruining childhood?
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruining
Verb
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But the question of how to get landlords to deliver this housing without bankrupting their buildings matters just as much.—
Michael Powell,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
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The indictment, unsealed in a federal courthouse in New York on Thursday, accuses Patrick James and Edward James of bankrupting First Brands and fraudulently obtaining billions of dollars behind the backs of the company's lenders and financing partners.—
Mary Cunningham,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Iran itself is destroying homes and schools, killing and wounding dozens, and disrupting daily life, sometimes beyond recognition.—
Michael M. Rosen,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
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But destroying much of Iran’s ability to project power and attacking the security forces that suppress the Iranian public will surely hasten the regime’s collapse.—
Dennis Ross,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Last month, the city approved funds for a wrecking company to demolish buildings in the 1800 and 1900 blocks of Santa Fe.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
11 Mar. 2026
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Elsewhere, a driver was rescued after calling 911 when her Chevy sedan stalled in high water, wrecking just off the road in Morgan Township, according to dispatchers.—
Jennifer Edwards Baker,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
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This is a chilling history of a problem still ravaging significant swaths of America — not to mention elsewhere in the world.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Simply demolishing it would cost a tiny fraction of that.—
Jason Rantala,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The city should follow that advice, and scrap the idea of demolishing its historic civic architecture.—
Mark Lamster
Architecture Critic,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Rain fell, devastating the snowpack.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 Mar. 2026
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But by the early 1990s, industrial bottom trawlers had decimated cod stocks, and in 1992, the Canadian government instituted a moratorium on cod fishing, devastating the industry and ending a long-standing way of life.—
Gina DeCaprio Vercesi,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Five of his shots were blocked by Virginia center Ugonna Onyenso, who finished with nine for the game and an ACC Tournament-record 20 over three games, shattering Tim Duncan’s record of 14, which stood for 31 years.—
Steve Reed,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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Luxury real estate is getting even more exclusive The backdrop of this trend is a record-shattering luxury real estate market.—
Sydney Lake,
Fortune,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Have a little fun in the kitchen smashing the tiny spuds before seasoning with garlic and rosemary.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
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Irons pounds the drums like Bam-Bam smashing on two garbage-can lids.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruining. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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