ruinous

adjective

ˈrü-ə-nəs How to pronounce ruinous (audio)
Definition of ruinousnext
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 Alvaro Bedoya, former Federal Trade Commission commissioner under President Biden, said a freeze could make the playing field more uneven by putting pressure on smaller companies in ways that could prove ruinous. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026 Outlier losses can deplete a significant portion of your account, causing severe financial and emotional impact, and can be detrimental and potentially ruinous to your trading career. — David Capablanca, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026 In this telling, Ivan appears as a precursor to Stalin and other ruinous Russian despots. — Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 By that point, Didulo’s fictional laws had begun having ruinous effects. — Zander Sherman, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruinous
  1. disastrous
  2. devastating
  3. fatal
  4. destructive
  5. unfortunate
  6. catastrophic
Adjective
  • Assembly Republican Leader Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, suffered a stunning upset Friday in her reelection bid for her Central Valley seat, capping off what has been a disastrous legislative election for the party.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2026
  • Anthony Stolarz stopped 22 shots for Toronto (8-12-2), which suffered its sixth consecutive regulation loss to complete a disastrous six-game stretch at Scotiabank Arena.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Nov. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Randy Travis' life was turned upside down by a devastating health crisis that doctors gave him just a 1% chance of surviving, according to his wife, Mary.
    — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Equal parts devastating and uplifting, the record tackles growing up, death, grief and renewal through lyrics that are deeply personal, but still inviting.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of devastating
Adjective
  • Rabies is a viral disease that affects the nervous system and can be fatal in humans if treatment is not received before symptoms develop.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The driver of the pickup truck was found unresponsive with fatal injuries and pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical personnel, police said.
    — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of fatal
Adjective
  • Pastor Mo warned against destructive behavior at the holiday celebration.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • According to the Army, its integration process is non-destructive, meaning attaching the kit does not permanently alter the underlying munition.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of destructive
Adjective
  • Before that, the Broncos were a major beneficiary of an unfortunate series of events in the third quarter.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
  • As the state no longer holds a monopoly on the tools—nor the data—used to keep us safe, an opaque gap between the private and public sectors has opened where unfortunate, and even tragic, events can transpire.
    — David Niccolini, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • And some states are responding to threats of catastrophic wildfires often sparked by their own utility equipment.
    — John Farrell, Time, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The results have been catastrophic for underdeveloped nations.
    — Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

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ruining
ruinous
ruins
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Cite this Entry

“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruinous. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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