1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
a ruinous miscalculation of the financial markets left them bankrupt
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2
as in devastating
causing or tending to cause destruction
a ruinous windstorm destroyed the crops
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruinous
There are more lecture tours, and ruinous business adventures — the financial writer in Chernow is more at ease with this material.
—
Dwight Garner, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Its timelines collapse and blur, and its characters are bound by ruinous, inescapable fates; the reader cannot avoid disorientation.
—Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
This would give Trump a partial win, avoid hurting his base and prevent ruinous cuts to Medicaid.
—Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The share of seniors will more than double in most countries by midcentury, pushing support ratios (the number of workers per retiree) to ruinous levels; China’s, for example, will fall from ten to one in 2000 to under two to one by 2050.
—Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Dwight Garner, New York Times, 13 May 2025
Its timelines collapse and blur, and its characters are bound by ruinous, inescapable fates; the reader cannot avoid disorientation.
—Marion Renault, The Atlantic, 13 May 2025
This would give Trump a partial win, avoid hurting his base and prevent ruinous cuts to Medicaid.
—Arthur L. Kellermann, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
The share of seniors will more than double in most countries by midcentury, pushing support ratios (the number of workers per retiree) to ruinous levels; China’s, for example, will fall from ten to one in 2000 to under two to one by 2050.
—Michael Beckley, Foreign Affairs, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruinous
Adjective
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Though Rivera was strong on balance beam and floor, posting the highest mark on beam and the third-best on floor, a disastrous bar routine took the Olympian out of the gold medal race.—
Caroline Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
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Following a disastrous May 6 outing in which Pressly surrendered nine runs, eight earned, without recording an out in the 11th inning against the San Francisco Giants, manager Craig Counsell pulled Pressly from the closer’s role.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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The most devastating feedback came from a founder Landau idolized.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
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Day laborers have been crucial to rebuilding efforts after Los Angeles County’s devastating January firestorms.—
Kaitlyn Huamani,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Selling bitcoin volatility into a bull market could prove fatal.—
Alexander S. Blume,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Here's what to know about the rare, but often fatal, disease.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Signs might include pacing, whining, excessive barking, destructive acts, accidents in the house and excessive salivation, drooling or panting.—
Liz O'Connell,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 June 2025
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But Whelton says after destructive fires, there are often lingering toxins from exploded propane tanks or burned cars and high levels of lead from home exteriors after the debris is removed.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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The polished old pro bent time and space, keeping the unfortunate new work to a minimum and running through his hits, reliving, nearly chronologically, the thrill of experiencing his catalog all over again at a speed run.—
Abe Beame,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2025
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An unfortunate series of events in the eighth inning led to the Brewers going up 3-1.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruinous. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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