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
Relevance
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
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
Nothing ruins a cozy night in faster than cold toes!
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 May 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
There is Persian mythology and mysticism in the film, and ruins in Persian poetry are very significant places.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
The property’s main restaurant, Night Hawk, is Mediterranean, with cooking by open fire, a Greek ruins vibe and seating for about 150.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 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
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
Nothing ruins a cozy night in faster than cold toes!
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 30 May 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
There is Persian mythology and mysticism in the film, and ruins in Persian poetry are very significant places.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026
The property’s main restaurant, Night Hawk, is Mediterranean, with cooking by open fire, a Greek ruins vibe and seating for about 150.
—Los Angeles Times, 13 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
-
Young people must understand clearly that violence destroys not only victims, but entire families and communities.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2026
-
But Bogan told the outlet those assurances fall short if construction bulldozes the critical turtle habitat, compromises the manmade earthen dam that holds the springs' pond, or destroys the mesquite thicket downstream where turtles shelter in winter.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Another showed the roof destroyed, with rubble scattered on the ground as emergency responders surveyed the aftermath.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Her second, released this week, digs through the East Wing’s rubble to rescue that mythology from the debacle of 2024.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Withholding effective treatment for chronic disease devastates lives and drives up healthcare costs.—
Karen R. Studer,
Sacbee.com,
1 June 2026
-
After an epidemic devastates humanity, one group, the Traveling Symphony, connects disparate survivors by performing Shakespeare.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
20 May 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
-
Videos published online and geolocated by NBC News showed a blazing fire inside the airport, surrounded by debris and heavy smoke as people ran for cover.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
4 June 2026
-
Remove any loose bits of food and debris from the smoker and removable components.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
4 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 10 Jun. 2026.
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