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
  • Dhillon’s success in those initiatives was middling at best — and in some areas disastrous.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Its shares are down almost 9% Thursday, extending its disastrous stretch.
    — Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • In 2003, at the age of twenty, Pancho experienced a devastating brainstem stroke while recovering from a car accident and major surgery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Much of the work here is quietly devastating in evoking absence, fear and exile.
    — Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 6 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
  • As part of a plea agreement, O’Connor pleaded guilty in May to one count of knowingly possessing two destructive devices that were not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Also among the Golden Dawn initiates was infamous occultist Aleister Crowley, who the documentary said was a destructive force in the group, binging on drugs while being accused of summoning demons using Golden Dawn rituals.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of destructive
Adjective
  • The unfortunate truth is, most of them have lowered their standards in admissions and education.
    — Ian Kingsbury, Sun Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Just ask this unfortunate Alaskan bear recently spotted with several multi-foot long tapeworms hanging out of its butt.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of unfortunate
Adjective
  • In recent years, insurance companies have restricted business and shed large numbers of policies following catastrophic wildfires and fears about more in the future.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • In September, about 70 Americans remained unaccounted for following catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border, while 18 Americans had been confirmed safe, Fox News Digital previously reported.
    — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of catastrophic

Browse Nearby Words

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 8 Nov. 2026.

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