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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ruins
Sherri Gordon, Parents, 11 Sep. 2025
One mistake often ruins an entire load, sending recyclables straight to landfills.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In the area of the bridge ruins, a number of other artifacts were also uncovered.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Athens, Greece Athens glows beneath Mediterranean light, where marble ruins rise from its timeworn hillsides—from the world-famous Parthenon to the Temple of Hephaestus.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Nothing ruins my mood more than seeing people stuck in 2012, and fixing this situation really doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
This is not very photogenic, and in fact ruins the picture!
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
The role that ruins play, figuratively, metaphorically, is really important.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
During the eight-day cruise, guests will visit the terra-cotta temples in Kalna, the Nawabi palaces of Murshidabad, the Mughal gardens of Khushbagh, the haunting ruins of Gaur, and Mayapur’s sprawling Hare Krishna complex.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025
The ruins of a Roman bridge were recently unearthed in Switzerland, providing a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient past, officials said.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Much of the territory lies in ruins and a hunger crisis has grown far worse in recent months.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The ninth is a long par three demanding a full carry over the crashing surf, with the ruins of Robert the Bruce’s castle visible in the distance.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
While excavating the ruins, archaeologists from the University of Haifa's Zinman Institute of Archaeology were struck by a floor design at the entrance of an ancient building.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Well, or how the ancient ruins of Petra stole the show in the final scenes of Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Photographer Osama Fathi has captured a stunning view of Perseid meteors crossing the bright ribbon of the Milky Way over the ruins of an ancient settlement in Egypt dedicated to the worship of the crocodile god Soknopaios.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
When that happens, 67% of teens say their malfunctioning laptop ruins their entire day.
—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 11 Sep. 2025
One mistake often ruins an entire load, sending recyclables straight to landfills.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Sep. 2025
In the area of the bridge ruins, a number of other artifacts were also uncovered.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Athens, Greece Athens glows beneath Mediterranean light, where marble ruins rise from its timeworn hillsides—from the world-famous Parthenon to the Temple of Hephaestus.
—Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Nothing ruins my mood more than seeing people stuck in 2012, and fixing this situation really doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket.
—PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2025
This is not very photogenic, and in fact ruins the picture!
—Judith Martin, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2025
The role that ruins play, figuratively, metaphorically, is really important.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Noun
An upholstered bench from her studio features a handmade ceramic button imprinted with textures from nearby ruins—a homage to the city on her doorstep.
—Keith Flanagan, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025
During the eight-day cruise, guests will visit the terra-cotta temples in Kalna, the Nawabi palaces of Murshidabad, the Mughal gardens of Khushbagh, the haunting ruins of Gaur, and Mayapur’s sprawling Hare Krishna complex.
—Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 9 Sep. 2025
The ruins of a Roman bridge were recently unearthed in Switzerland, providing a rare glimpse into the region’s ancient past, officials said.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Much of the territory lies in ruins and a hunger crisis has grown far worse in recent months.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
The ninth is a long par three demanding a full carry over the crashing surf, with the ruins of Robert the Bruce’s castle visible in the distance.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
While excavating the ruins, archaeologists from the University of Haifa's Zinman Institute of Archaeology were struck by a floor design at the entrance of an ancient building.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Well, or how the ancient ruins of Petra stole the show in the final scenes of Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
—Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
Photographer Osama Fathi has captured a stunning view of Perseid meteors crossing the bright ribbon of the Milky Way over the ruins of an ancient settlement in Egypt dedicated to the worship of the crocodile god Soknopaios.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruins
Verb
-
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
-
Producing traditional paper destroys trees and is resource-intensive, requiring up to 13 liters of water for every page made.—
Sandy Ong,
JSTOR Daily,
11 Sep. 2025
-
In those situations, the team typically takes the potentially explosive item to a remote area and destroys it, just to be safe, Putthoff said.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Every window was blown out, and rubble littered the ground.—
Ken Harbaugh,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Images from the incident show firefighters on the scene searching through the rubble of the building following the explosion.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Deadly flooding devastates South Asia Almost 400 people have died in Pakistan after flash floods brought destruction throughout the country’s north.—
Semafor Staff,
semafor.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
Illness devastates the novel’s humble, endearing protagonist, who bravely crosses class boundaries in her enthralling search for peace.—
Gabrielle Bellot,
Literary Hub,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Police and army inspect damage to a house destroyed by debris from a shot down Russian drone in the village of Wyryki-Wola, eastern Poland, on September 10, 2025.—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Be careful when handling debris that may have blown into your yard.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
What To Know Warsaw said that Russian drones violated Polish airspace 19 times on the night of September 9 and 10, with data showing the wreckage of Russian drones across the country.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Footage of the aftermath of the collision posted on social media shows a large fire and pillars of dark smoke emanating from the wreckage.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The shift change shatters my sleep like a robin’s egg crashing against pavement.—
Manuel Muñoz,
Literary Hub,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Most sitcoms that cast celebrities to play themselves go the Thompson route, crafting a character that completely shatters the person’s public image.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ruins.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruins. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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