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
Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Nothing ruins a trip faster than your suitcase not showing up at baggage claim, right?
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
The whole image is a set of geometric elements receding precisely, which either or both ruins or/and enhances a little of the painting’s magic for me.
—Kate Colby
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
At least four people were killed and eight wounded, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.
—Isabella Volmert, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
The chocolate ruins their appearance and also their taste.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
This bike is meant to move, whether to speed through a commute, push an exercise ride a bit farther, or tackle that one hill that ruins your otherwise enjoyable route.
—Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
When shoe stink ruins a perfectly good rack.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025
Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
Mogetta said that field work in 2026 and 2027 will reveal more of the ruins.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Out went manager Rocco Baldelli, and in came Derek Shelton, who managed the Pirates through the ruins of a rebuild before being fired early this season when winning became expected.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Once the skis come off, fill your days with excursions to castle ruins, thermal baths, and snowshoeing trails.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
In the end, their misfortune might ultimately present an opportunity to search among the ruins for a trace of dignity and grace.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
Four years later, the Democrats’ future looks murkier than ever, and Adams’ lofty ambitions lie in ruins.
—Molly Ball, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
When it was established in 1940, GSMNP swallowed up several communities, and the ruins of tiny timber towns can still be found.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
In Gaza, scores of Palestinians have returned to the ruins of their former homes after two years of war brought widespread destruction.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
What would be the point in merely listening to people look at legendary mountain views and Incan ruins?
—Ryan Knighton, AFAR Media, 31 Oct. 2025
There are heated confrontations and a slap, and Alma ruins her shot at tenure after stealing a colleague's prescription pad to get more pain meds.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Oct. 2025
Nothing ruins a trip faster than your suitcase not showing up at baggage claim, right?
—Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 7 Oct. 2025
The whole image is a set of geometric elements receding precisely, which either or both ruins or/and enhances a little of the painting’s magic for me.
—Kate Colby
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
At least four people were killed and eight wounded, and authorities were searching the building ruins for more victims.
—Isabella Volmert, Twin Cities, 29 Sep. 2025
The chocolate ruins their appearance and also their taste.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
This bike is meant to move, whether to speed through a commute, push an exercise ride a bit farther, or tackle that one hill that ruins your otherwise enjoyable route.
—Kevin Purdy, ArsTechnica, 20 Sep. 2025
When shoe stink ruins a perfectly good rack.
—New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
Chreim, 74, finds the names of his grandmother and grandfather among the broken pieces of marble before heading to the ruins of his home.
—Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
Mogetta said that field work in 2026 and 2027 will reveal more of the ruins.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
Out went manager Rocco Baldelli, and in came Derek Shelton, who managed the Pirates through the ruins of a rebuild before being fired early this season when winning became expected.
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Once the skis come off, fill your days with excursions to castle ruins, thermal baths, and snowshoeing trails.
—Chadner Navarro, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
In the end, their misfortune might ultimately present an opportunity to search among the ruins for a trace of dignity and grace.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025
Four years later, the Democrats’ future looks murkier than ever, and Adams’ lofty ambitions lie in ruins.
—Molly Ball, Time, 29 Oct. 2025
When it was established in 1940, GSMNP swallowed up several communities, and the ruins of tiny timber towns can still be found.
—Graham Averill, Outside, 28 Oct. 2025
In Gaza, scores of Palestinians have returned to the ruins of their former homes after two years of war brought widespread destruction.
—Ibrahim Dahman, CNN Money, 27 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruins
Verb
-
However, as a geostorm ravages Earth, Athena and Hen’s space mission teeters on the edge.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
-
As extreme heat ravages New York City this summer, the lives of thousands detained on Rikers Island hang in the balance.—
Darren Mack,
New York Daily News,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
One such affliction is Tay-Sachs, a disease that disproportionately affects people of Ashkenazi descent and destroys brain and spinal nerve cells.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The movie follows a similar arc, with an additional subplot in which the creature destroys the city while under the influence of a powerful demon.—
Katie Rife,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
In Hula, Chreim's three-story house is now a pile of stone rubble and twisted iron.—
Jane Arraf,
NPR,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The catastrophe, which took place about noon local time, sent one person working on a medieval tower to a hospital while another remained trapped under rubble and debris at the Torre dei Conti.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Americans are used to thinking about automation as something that devastates factory towns in the heartland.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
2 Oct. 2025
-
The novel is about three teenagers experiencing the joy and angst of their senior year in a New York City high school as the AIDS crisis devastates their community.—
Abdi Nazemian,
PEOPLE,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
That sport is so incredible and wrecks your body.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
23 Oct. 2025
-
Messy data wrecks forecasts, distorts reporting and wastes time.—
Thasha Batts,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Gas and dust fall into a rotating disk around the black hole, and as the debris spirals more rapidly, it becomes superheated, releasing intense radiation.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
If the city demolishes the building, the costs will be assessed to the property owner.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Video from the scene showed smoke rising from the wreckage as Ramesh stumbled away with minor visible injuries.—
Greg Wehner,
FOXNews.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
So, Senate Democrats put an alternative on the table 12 days before September 30 that fixed the health care wreckage that the Republicans caused and that ensured that a deal would be honored, both by Congress and the White House.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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