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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruinous
As the medical profession came to consider cocaine and morphine as equally dangerous, coca became associated with opium, and the public was led to believe that the ruinous effects of habitual opium use would inevitably befall those who regularly chewed coca leaves.
—
Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Trump warned automakers not to raise prices in response to his ruinous tariffs.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
Granted, the dropoff from Allen to any replacement is immense, perhaps ruinous.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
This thoughtful design scheme extends to the world at large too – each location is brimming with tidbits to find that inform players about the ruinous history at the core of the town.
—Sarah Thwaites, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
Trump warned automakers not to raise prices in response to his ruinous tariffs.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2025
Granted, the dropoff from Allen to any replacement is immense, perhaps ruinous.
—Tim Graham, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
This thoughtful design scheme extends to the world at large too – each location is brimming with tidbits to find that inform players about the ruinous history at the core of the town.
—Sarah Thwaites, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruinous
Adjective
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Physicist Matthew von Hippel looks not at the birth of the universe but at its destruction, outlining a disastrous world-ending scenario that makes asteroid strikes and Earth-colliding black holes look like kid stuff.—
Jeanna Bryner,
Scientific American,
20 May 2025
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Here, The Athletic looks at what this all means, what points deductions Leicester could face, where the EFL stands on any Premier League sanction and the potential repercussions for a club already reeling from what has been a disastrous season on the pitch.—
Rob Tanner,
New York Times,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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At least 7 killed in Missouri A storm that produced a devastating tornado in the St. Louis area Friday afternoon has left at least five people dead and many others injured, according to local authorities.—
Matt Rehbein,
CNN Money,
17 May 2025
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Yes, a lottery pick would have helped this mix, but missing out on the potential for the top of the lottery in 2026 and ’28 could have been just as devastating.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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From cold cases cracked decades later to trials still underway, here are 18 fatal crimes that occurred at colleges and universities.—
Corin Cesaric,
People.com,
18 May 2025
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The killing is Kansas City’s 60th homicide this year, according to data maintained by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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Of those, 11 strengthened into hurricanes and five became major hurricanes — including the massively destructive Hurricanes Helene and Milton and Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Category 5 storm on record.—
Alex Harris,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
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The MacGuffin of all MacGuffins, we're told the Rabbit's Foot is some sort of powerful, potentially destructive force, but its exact nature is never explained in the film.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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None of his previous work has been released in the U.S., which is unfortunate because Demoustier (brother of the talented actress Anaïs) is one of those rare French filmmakers who can blend suspense with perceptive writing and characterization, resulting in artsy thrillers that dig deep.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2025
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The decision was so unfortunate that the NAIA felt compelled to issue an apology.—
Julio Cesar Valdera Morales,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruinous. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
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