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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The Giants didn’t have a disastrous road trip, winning two of their three series, but taking just two out of three against rebuilding teams won’t be enough to catch the Dodgers, and getting swept by contending teams will leave them outside of the wild-card chase.—
Grant Brisbee,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
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Following a disastrous accident, Cadence's life changes forever, disrupting the harmony builtbetween her, her family, and her inner circle.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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The most devastating feedback came from a founder Landau idolized.—
Megan Bruneau,
Forbes.com,
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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The reasoning was twofold: to prevent widespread panic among the American public and to avoid informing the Germans just how destructive their campaign was.—
Asia London Palomba,
Smithsonian Magazine,
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 15 Jun. 2025.
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