1
as in bankrupts
to cause to lose one's fortune and become unable to pay one's debts
after he was ruined by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the industrialist was forced to sell his mansion and start all over again
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ravages
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
tornadoes ruined a wide swath of the county
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in destroys
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
a huge fire that ruined an entire city block
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rubble
the portion or bits of something left over or behind after it has been destroyed
the ruins of an abandoned abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of ruins
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.
—Steven Andreasen, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
As always happens at the start of Scream films — the franchise that 2000's and 2026's Scary Movie films take as their lodestar — the Ghostface killer turns up and ruins everything.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 June 2026
Deep dives into childhood trauma sort of ruins it for everyone.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Ancient Roman ruins sit alongside medieval churches and buildings rebuilt during the Yugoslavian era after a majority of the city’s buildings were destroyed when bombed by the Allies during World War II.
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Defense ruins game plans and wins games in a league where the toughest come out on top.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Harsh White Light Bulbs Nothing ruins a festive mood faster than harsh white lightbulbs—and, no, the bulbs in your powder room are not an exception, Zook says.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 28 May 2026
This scale quickly clogs ordinary solar stills, much like calcium buildup ruins your bathroom showerhead.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026
Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Sri Lanka, off the southeastern coast of India, packs lush tea plantations, ancient Buddhist ruins, biodiversity and pristine beaches into one of the most affordable trips on this list — though its popularity is rising fast.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Russian and Kyrgyz scientists are exploring the ruins of the medieval trading center of Turu-Aygyr, submerged in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan for centuries.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
Of course, the country has no shortage of fascinating classical ruins, charming seaside towns, and rocky hilltop vistas either.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
Now the castle is in ruins (though with explanatory signage), with hiking paths, a museum, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that sways 300 feet above the valley floor.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026
Havana’s Estadio Latinoamericano, where national baseball teams played and where former President Barack Obama attended a game during his visit to Cuba in March 2026, is also in ruins.
—Sarah Moreno
june 5, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Five thousand years after his death, Ötzi’s body is still a whole ecosystem, built on the ruins of the one that once inhabited his body along with him.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
Ancient Lycian ruins often appear directly above the waterline, while small fishing villages remain largely unchanged by mass tourism.
—Katia Damborsky, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Verb
Again, don't wring the suit, which ruins the shape.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 June 2026
Think about it the next time a presidential rant ruins your coffee.
—Steven Andreasen, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
As always happens at the start of Scream films — the franchise that 2000's and 2026's Scary Movie films take as their lodestar — the Ghostface killer turns up and ruins everything.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 7 June 2026
Deep dives into childhood trauma sort of ruins it for everyone.
—Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
Ancient Roman ruins sit alongside medieval churches and buildings rebuilt during the Yugoslavian era after a majority of the city’s buildings were destroyed when bombed by the Allies during World War II.
—Elizabeth Rhodes, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Defense ruins game plans and wins games in a league where the toughest come out on top.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Harsh White Light Bulbs Nothing ruins a festive mood faster than harsh white lightbulbs—and, no, the bulbs in your powder room are not an exception, Zook says.
—Marisa Suzanne Martin, The Spruce, 28 May 2026
This scale quickly clogs ordinary solar stills, much like calcium buildup ruins your bathroom showerhead.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 May 2026
Noun
Many before Labīd and many after him across the long arc of Arabic, have begun their poems by standing upon ruins.
—Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Sri Lanka, off the southeastern coast of India, packs lush tea plantations, ancient Buddhist ruins, biodiversity and pristine beaches into one of the most affordable trips on this list — though its popularity is rising fast.
—Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
Russian and Kyrgyz scientists are exploring the ruins of the medieval trading center of Turu-Aygyr, submerged in the waters of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan for centuries.
—Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 8 June 2026
Of course, the country has no shortage of fascinating classical ruins, charming seaside towns, and rocky hilltop vistas either.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026
Now the castle is in ruins (though with explanatory signage), with hiking paths, a museum, and a 1,200-foot pedestrian suspension bridge that sways 300 feet above the valley floor.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2026
Havana’s Estadio Latinoamericano, where national baseball teams played and where former President Barack Obama attended a game during his visit to Cuba in March 2026, is also in ruins.
—Sarah Moreno
june 5, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Five thousand years after his death, Ötzi’s body is still a whole ecosystem, built on the ruins of the one that once inhabited his body along with him.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
Ancient Lycian ruins often appear directly above the waterline, while small fishing villages remain largely unchanged by mass tourism.
—Katia Damborsky, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruins
Verb
-
The 2020s have been a decade of compounding American institutional failure — a pandemic, political rupture, an affordability crisis, student loan servicers treated as adversaries, a healthcare system that bankrupts the sick, and a growing sense that the system is not working as advertised.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Wildfire ravages Simi Valley as evacuations are underway.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
-
Greenhouses provide protection from scourges like tomato blight, which ravages otherwise beautiful crops in areas with cool, rainy weather.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Standard recycling destroys the whole part just to clean it.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
10 June 2026
-
The mechanism is an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase, or PPO, abundant in bananas, which destroys flavanols both during blending and inside the stomach.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
Noun
-
Lasker ran over to find the woman's husband was stuck in the rubble and ended up helping rescue him.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Now, people have been crammed into around 40 percent of the space left to them — sheltering among broken buildings, rubble and mounting solid waste.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
So when the dog is lost in a severe storm that devastates the region and leaves many homeless, an overwhelmed Rose must balance the urgency of her search mission alongside the misfortune of others close to her.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 June 2026
-
Withholding effective treatment for chronic disease devastates lives and drives up healthcare costs.—
Karen R. Studer,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Kyle Busch wrecks Ron Hornaday under caution!—
Jeff Gluck,
New York Times,
21 May 2026
-
The change launches biannual arguments about the practice, wrecks havoc on sleep and has inspired voters to go to California polls.—
Hannah Poukish,
Sacbee.com,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Stay away from windows as flying debris generated by damaging winds can be deadly.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2026
-
The weather service also urged people to avoid windows, and if outdoors, in a mobile home or in a vehicle to seek the closest substantial shelter and to protect themselves from flying debris.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The latest filing demolishes the timeworn claim that DOGE was infiltrated into Social Security in order to responsibly ferret out fraud and overspending.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2026
-
If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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