1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a ruinous windstorm destroyed the crops
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ruinous
And so one of Rothstein’s protégés, Dutch Schultz—who, thanks to the layoff networks, had access to ready cash—began lending to the Harlem numbers bankers, at ruinous rates.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Her ruinous policies are the cause of the 12 percent increase in electric rates, not MAGA voters.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
Refusing until last summer to acknowledge the toll time inevitably extracts inflicted ruinous paralysis on the Democrats.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk's announcement of the America Party following his split with President Donald Trump over the fiscally ruinous One Big Beautiful Bill reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of American political mechanics.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025
Her ruinous policies are the cause of the 12 percent increase in electric rates, not MAGA voters.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2025
Refusing until last summer to acknowledge the toll time inevitably extracts inflicted ruinous paralysis on the Democrats.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025
Billionaire Elon Musk's announcement of the America Party following his split with President Donald Trump over the fiscally ruinous One Big Beautiful Bill reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of American political mechanics.
—Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruinous
Adjective
-
Schools’ failure to follow IEPs has resulted in disastrous cases of educational neglect for students like Makenley and Maddox O’Connor.—
IndyStar,
IndyStar,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The New York Jets sent that message to Rodgers following a disastrous two-year term.—
Ian O'Connor,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Schools, churches, small shops that survived the devastating 2010 earthquake that killed over 300,000 are now a pile of rubble, part of the apocalyptic landscape left behind by the retreating forces that control almost all of Haiti’s capital.—
Johnny Fils-Aimé,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
-
His activism was sparked by the devastating floods and rains in Uganda.—
Aniebiet Ntui,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Researchers measured violent and property crime data from 2023, fatal car accidents, drug overdose deaths and excessive drinking rates.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Here’s what to know about the fatal crash.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Most people are able to play lotteries for fun without falling into addictive or destructive patterns.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
That same destructive logic now drives the hollowing out of the CDC.—
Stan Chu Ilo,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
This was the unfortunate and tragic outcome.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
This latest ‘oopsie’ also fits an unfortunate pattern.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared that famine has taken hold in Gaza, affecting more than half a million people—with catastrophic food insecurity already underway.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
To make a mistake with the first year’s winnings is not catastrophic if the winner is going to receive another 25 years’ worth of payments.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruinous. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share